FDA asks company to remove opioid drug from market

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration yesterday asked Endo Pharmaceuticals to remove its opioid pain medication Opana ER from the market, citing the potential for the reformulated drug to be abused. “We will continue to take regulatory steps when we see situations where an opioid product’s risks outweigh its benefits, not only for its intended patient population but also in regard to its potential for misuse and abuse,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.