Statement on the FDA's Recommendation to Reclassify Hydrocodone Combination Drugs

Washington, DC (October 25, 2013) – Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the FDA's recommendation to reclassify hydrocodone combination drugs:

"I am pleased that the Food and Drug Administration is recommending that opioids, hydrocodone combination drug products , be held to higher safety standards in order to cut down on abuse and save lives. The number of deaths and health problems caused by the misuse of prescription opioid drugs demands we take decisive action to end this epidemic, and I urge the Drug Enforcement Administration to act on the FDA's recommendation as soon as possible.

"On July 2nd I sent a letter urging FDA Commissioner Hamburg to recommend this change due to the alarming rise in the use and abuse of prescription opioids in the United States. Today, Americans consume 80% of the world's prescription opioids. The correlation between those higher sales and higher incidences of opioid-related death and addiction points to an irrefutable truth that doctors are overprescribing these drugs to patients.

"My constituent Peter Jackson tragically lost his 18 year-old-daughter Emily when she died from respiratory depression after taking a prescription opioid, meaning she stopped breathing. He and many family members of those harmed by opioid abuse have been fighting to reclassify these potentially dangerous drugs and protect the lives of other children. Their advocacy helped lead to FDA's decision.

"The FDA's made a good decision in recommending the tighter restrictions on hydrocodone combination drug products. While it will be important to take steps to ensure this change does not limit access to patients with legitimate medical needs, this change is needed to adequately reflect the potential risk these drugs pose to public health."

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