Senator seeks to block Zohydro pain drug
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sen. Joe Manchin is calling on the government's top health official to overturn the approval of a powerful painkiller, arguing that the pill Zohydro could add to the national epidemic of prescription drug abuse.
The West Virginia Democrat joins a chorus of lawmakers, state prosecutors and medical groups seeking a reversal of the Food and Drug Administration's October approval. In a letter Monday, Manchin asks Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to overrule the agency's decision.
Zohydro is the first single-ingredient hydrocodone drug ever cleared for U.S. patients. The extended-release pill contains more of the narcotic pain reliever than older combination pills, such as Vicodin.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The FDA approval surprised many doctors, since the agency's own advisers voted overwhelmingly against the drug, citing its abuse potential.