Hysingla ER, hydrocodone abuse
Hydrocodone abuse is a big problem, and not just in the USA. This has led to FDA approval for a new form of hydrocodone pill called Hysingla ER which offers extended relief for severe pain while being very difficult to abuse at the same time. Most of the hydrocodone medications o the market can be easily abused, and the rate of illegal hydrocodone abuse in the last few years has skyrocketed because most of these medications do not have any safeguards against abuse. The pills are snorted, crushed, chewed, or injected to amplify the narcotic effects. This is far more difficult with the newest form of the drug approved by the FDA. Hysingla ER is only intended for patients who have extreme pain around the clock, and who do not benefit from other pain management treatments or less powerful painkillers.
Hysingla ER was developed by Purdue Pharma, and it is intended for a once daily dose which has an extended relief feature. This allows the drug to be effective for roughly 24 hours in most patients, and it is very hard to use for hydrocodone abuse because the pills do not crush or dissolve easily. This is not the first abuse resistant form of hydrocodone to hit the market, last year Zohydro was approved by the FDA but the product from Zogenix is designed to be taken twice daily, every 12 hours. Hydrocodone abuse is a big issue, but patients with severe and debilitating pain still have a right to proper pain management. Patients with a legitimate need for pain medications should not be made to suffer because of those who abuse these drugs.
