FDA seeks comments on ways to facilitate appropriate opioid prescribing

The Food and Drug Administration seeks stakeholder input on how it might use Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies to facilitate appropriate prescribing of opioid pain relievers. For example, the agency’s Opioid Policy Steering Committee is considering using REMS to require sponsors to ensure that opioid analgesic prescriptions exceeding a certain amount document medical necessity and/or leverage a nationwide prescription history database to prevent misuse or abuse, the FDA notice states. The agency will hold a Jan. 30 public hearing on the issue, with comments accepted through March 16.