FDA Approves OxyContin For Kids The Food and Drug Administration has approved the powerful narcotic painkiller OxyContin for children as young as 11. Read more.

FDA Approves OxyContin For Kids

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the powerful narcotic painkiller OxyContin for children as young as 11.

OxyContin, an extended-release version of the painkiller oxycodone, has gained notoriety in recent years because of its frequent abuse. In 2010, Purdue Pharma reformulated OxyContin to make it more difficult to abuse.

Some experts are concerned that younger patients could be more likely to get addicted to the drug.

The FDA said children generally have fewer pain relief options than adults. Because of that problem, the FDA asked Purdue to perform studies to see if the drug could be used safely in children ages 11 to 16 with pain caused by cancer, trauma or major surgery, said Sharon Hertz, a physician with the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The FDA says children can use OxyContin only if they need long-term pain relief and have no other options.

The drug will be used for patients dealing with cancer, trauma and those recovering from surgery.

Some pediatric cancer doctors supported the FDA decision.

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Comment by Ragnarok on February 18, 2016 at 4:11pm: It's about getting them addicted while they're young.

Comment by Burbia on February 14, 2016 at 11:50pm: Oh yeah, the McDonalds business model is on play here, we know how responsible kids are. The Jesuits do this as well right? Get em young and the possibility is endless. Lifetime customers.

Comment by Suebian on February 14, 2016 at 11:00pm: Experts are a plenty and "they" is always right. None the less, if they need it for these procedures give it to them responsibly I say. After my major trauma it was dilauded and oxycont.. I can take quite a bit of pain and i would be lying to you if i said these "evils" didn't have a silver lining..

When you constantly pass out from pain, the meds mediate that helplessness and make you able to withstand the day. I do have to admit though they were very hard to wean off of, so maybe this is the point we should be making: Responsible use. Even water is deadly when ingested irresponsibly.

Still, big pharma must go.. Crooked POS.....

//Suebi.

Comment by Burbia on February 14, 2016 at 10:50pm: Yeah, up here in Region X, codeine was administered to children, predisposing them to opiate addiction in the 80's and 90's. Purdue was using research and its effects on kids as an excuse to keep their patent like three years ago.