Congressmen want FDA to act now on restricting painkillers

A bevy of congressmen from both sides of the aisle are demanding that the FDA slap tighter controls on prescription painkillers containing hydrocodone and come up with a timeline to do so, Pharmalot reports. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16,000 people died of opioid overdoses in 2010, and how to regulate painkillers has become a hot potato for the agency. It just held a two-day meeting on whether to change labeling for opioids. One group of doctors has asked the FDA to change the labels on the painkillers to include daily limits on their use and to have doctors limit prescriptions to a 90-day supply. Some doctors, though, worry that more restrictions will make it difficult to treat patients who suffer from chronic pain. Story | More