Massachusetts bans sale of FDA-approved Zogenix painkiller

By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Officials in Massachusetts have blocked sales of Zogenix's controversial but U.S.-approved painkiller Zohydro, prompting the drugmaker to criticize what it called an "unprecedented action." The state's ban "only serves to unfairly restrict patient access," the company said in a statement late Thursday. "Ultimately, the ban on the prescription medication will add to patient suffering in the state," it added. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced the Zohydro ban in a speech on Thursday, formally declaring a public health emergency resulting from the abuse of opioids in the New England state. The federal Food and Drug Administration approved Zohydro last year over the objections of its advisory panel, which expressed concerns about the potential for abuse.



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