The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new non-narcotic painkiller, marking a significant milestone in the effort to address the opioid crisis. This is the first approval of a new type of painkiller in the United States in 20 years. The drug, called Journavx (ingredient name: suzetrizine), developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, was approved on January 30th as a treatment for moderate to severe acute pain resulting from injury, surgery, disease, trauma, or painful medical procedures.
Journavx works by blocking pain signals at their source before they reach the brain, a method that sets it apart from opioids. Unlike opioids, which stimulate the brain’s reward centre and can lead to addiction, Journavx does not have the same addictive properties. This innovative approach is seen as a potential game-changer in the treatment of pain, as it offers an alternative to the addictive nature of opioid-based medications.
The approval of this new drug comes at a crucial time, as the opioid epidemic continues to affect millions in the U.S. Nearly 10% of acute pain patients who are initially treated with opioids end up using them for long periods, and about 85,000 people develop opioid use disorders, including addiction or abuse, each year. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between 1999 and 2020, there were 564,000 deaths in the U.S. linked to opioid overdoses. The introduction of a non-narcotic alternative like Journavx is seen as a positive step in reducing the reliance on opioids and combating this public health crisis.