According to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, around 80 million Americans get prescriptions for painkillers each year|@VertexPharma|X
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first new type of painkiller pill in over 20 years. The medication Journavx by Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a non-opioid and mitigates the risk of addiction associated with an opioid for pain.
Priced at $15.50 a pill, it is a short-term pain medication that doctors would prescribe to people recovering from surgery or injuries.
Here is why the painkiller is making headlines
Most opioid medications like Vicodin and OxyContin dull the sensation of pain by acting directly on the brain, often creating euphoria or high, which can lead to addiction and dependency on the drug.
However, Journavx blocks the nerve cells from carrying the pain signals before they reach the brain, thereby reducing pain.
The pill is given in two dosages: an initial dose of 100 milligrams, followed by 50 milligrams every 12 hours.
Two clinical trials with 600 participants show that Journavx controlled pain after abdominal and foot surgeries.
According to Vertex, around 80 million Americans get prescriptions for painkillers each year, and most of it is for moderate to severe pain.