Survivors of those who died from opioid overdoses urge changes in the drugs' labels, but some patients express concerns that they might have trouble getting the drugs.
The Wall Street Journal: FDA Convenes Hearing On Pain-Pill Labels
Relatives of overdose victims pleaded with federal drug regulators Thursday to change the label on a widely used class of narcotic painkillers in a charged day of testimony in Washington. Some pain patients, meanwhile, warned that any action could limit their access to the drugs. The Food and Drug Administration convened the two-day public hearing on so-called opioid painkillers, amid concern that they are fueling an epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths (Catan, 2/7).
Meanwhile, The Washington Post examines the compounding pharmacies that were at the center of a recent outbreak of meningitis.
The Washington Post: Compounding Pharmacies Have Been Linked To Deaths, Illnesses And Safety Failures For Years
Shoddy practices and unsanitary conditions at three large-scale specialty pharmacies have been tied to deaths and illnesses over the past decade, revealing that the serious safety lapses at a Massachusetts pharmacy linked to last fall's deadly meningitis outbreak were not an isolated occurrence, records and interviews show (Kindy, Sun and Crites, 2/7).