A brand new painkiller is offering a substitute for opioids, however many individuals cannot get it : NPR

[ad_1] The primary new non-opioid for extreme acute ache has been in the marketplace for just a few months. However it's much more costly than opioids, and many individuals cannot get it due to spotty insurance coverage protection.

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A brand new ache medication presents one other choice to sufferers who're frightened about dependancy. It is not an opioid, and it is the primary actually new painkiller accredited by the Meals and Drug Administration in additional than 20 years. However NPR prescribed drugs correspondent Sydney Lupkin reviews the drug is dear and many individuals cannot get it but.

SYDNEY LUPKIN, BYLINE: Jerry Abrams used to run marathons, however 20 years of degenerative backbone illness have left him unable to run, and he is grieving.

JERRY ABRAMS: It is the lack of a beloved one. It is that buddy who's been with you daily you wanted him. You understand, having that taken away from you due to ache is the toughest factor of all.

LUPKIN: The fixed ache in his decrease again makes it unattainable. Typically he cannot get away from bed. He is taken opioids, however he says he needs to be cautious as a result of they're addictive. And he is additionally frightened about increase a tolerance to them.

ABRAMS: I do not ever wish to be in a state of affairs the place I would like surgical procedure and must get better, and opioid medicine now not does what it must do.

LUPKIN: The Meals and Drug Administration accredited a brand new non-opioid drug earlier this yr. It is a capsule referred to as JOURNAVX, and it is for extreme acute ache. JOURNAVX works by blocking ache alerts from the place somebody hurts. Abrams' physician wished him to attempt it, however as a result of his ache is power and never included within the FDA approval, his insurance coverage would not cowl it. It was studied in sufferers after surgical procedure, however insurance coverage protection has been gradual. Dr. Jessica Burgess is a surgeon at Jap Virginia Medical College at Outdated Dominion College in Norfolk, Virginia.

JESSICA BURGESS: I feel, general, surgeons had been very excited in regards to the choice to have a non-opioid ache medication for our sufferers. Sadly, I've but to fulfill a surgeon that is been in a position to prescribe it.

LUPKIN: In Massachusetts, alternatively, insurance coverage protection has improved in the previous couple of months. That is in keeping with Dr. Antje Barreveld, president of the American Academy of Ache Drugs. Opioids value only a few cents per capsule. JOURNAVX prices round $15 per capsule. Even with insurance coverage, that may be significant on the pharmacy counter, as Barreveld discovered when her member of the family was prescribed each drugs after surgical procedure just lately.

ANTJE BARREVELD: The oxycodone value about, I feel, 50 cents, and the JOURNAVX was a $30 copay. So the variations are positively stark.

LUPKIN: And a few sufferers are nonetheless denied when making an attempt to get a refill after two weeks. About 38% of individuals have protection for JOURNAVX, in keeping with Jayne Hornung, chief scientific officer on the well being care analytics agency MMIT. That is fairly typical for the primary few months after a brand new drug's launch. She says most insurers are solely overlaying it for 14 days as a result of that is how lengthy it was studied.

JAYNE HORNUNG: We all know it is not addictive inside 14 days, however what about after 14 days? Additionally, what are the long-term uncomfortable side effects? We all know it is OK at 14 days, however do we all know at 30 days if you are going to have some long-term uncomfortable side effects from the drug? What a few yr?

LUPKIN: That is annoyed some power ache sufferers who advised NPR they could not get JOURNAVX. As for Jerry Abrams, the ex-marathoner, he was in a position to get a coupon from Vertex Prescribed drugs, the drug's maker, to assist pay for just a few months of JOURNAVX. He says the drug did not relieve the primary supply of ache in his backbone however helped with ache in his shoulder and mid-back.

ABRAMS: I additionally discover it actually attention-grabbing that it has had constructive results on the secondary ache from my again points.

LUPKIN: His physician is looking for a method for him to remain on the drug after his coupon runs out. Research are actually underway that would assist JOURNAVX win further FDA approvals for some sort of power ache. Sydney Lupkin, NPR Information.

(SOUNDBITE OF RENAO SONG, "LIFELINE")

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