During a Monday press briefing, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to overturn the FDA's approval of Zohydro, a potent hydrocodone-only opioid approved last October.
Schumer joins Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and David Vitter (R-La.), who last week raised concerns about the drug and the way it was approved. In a letter to the dean of the medical school at the University of Rochester Manchin and Vitter voiced concerns about the school's involvement in a potential pay-to-play that they allege could be tied to Zohydro's approval.
In November, attorneys general from 28 states asked the FDA to reconsider its approval decision. And last week, more than 40 people -- including doctors and advocacy groups -- reinforced that message with their own letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, asking her to pull the drug from the market.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PainManagement/PainManagement/44582
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