FDA considering new risk reduction strategy for outpatient opioid dispensing

The Food and Drug Administration seeks comments through June 21 on a potential change that would require outpatient settings to dispense opioid pain medications with prepaid mail-back envelopes and pharmacists to provide patient education on safe disposal of opioids.

“This potential modification to the existing Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy would provide a convenient, additional disposal option for patients beyond those already available such as flushing, commercially available in-home disposal products, collection kiosks and takeback events,” the agency said.