FDA Approves Handheld Device That Reverses Painkiller Overdose
Hydrocodone DEA The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an auto-injecting device that can treat overdose from a variety of painkillers. The agency said in a statement today (April 3) that it could save lives; drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death from injury in the United States, surpassing vehicle crashes. The treatment, known as Evzio, injects a drug called nalaxone that "rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose" and is the standard treatment for overdose, the FDA noted. Previously the drug had to be given via a syringe, which often requires taking somebody to the emergency room, taking up time. But the new auto-injector can be administered by caregivers or family members, and can fit in a medicine cabinet or pocket. Tests have shown that the device administers that same amount of nalaxone as when somebody injects the drug with a...