FDA OK'S SWEET RELIEF FOR CANCER PAIN, BUT ORDERS PRECAUTIONS

A New 'Narcotic Lollipop' Works Wonders For Suffering Patients, But Can Be
Fatal To Children.

Washington-Hundreds of thousands of cancer patients will soon have a
powerful new way to fight severe pain-a raspberry flavored "narcotic
lollipop" loaded with painkiller that can seep into the bloodstream
faster than any pill.

The prescription drug Actiq, approved Thursday by the government, has
been controversial because the white lozenge on a plastic stick looks
somewhat like a lollipop, a word used to its manufacturer's distress.
Critics fear it could entice children, with fatal consequences.

Actiq can kill children, the Food and Drug Administration warned. It
even could kill adults whose bodies are not accustomed to narcotics,
or it could be abused by drug addicts.

So the government made manufacturer Anesta Corp. take unusually strict
steps to prevent Actiq's misuse. Among the requirements is packaging
Actiq in a heavy foil that requires scissors to open, difficult for
very young children. Anesta also will provide patients with free locks
for the cabinets where they store Actiq, and child-resistant fanny
packs for patients who want to keep the drug nearby.

The FDA approved Actiq despite the concerns because it provides the
first way for cancer patients to control agonizing pain attacks at
home. Relief can begin within minutes.

"For the right patient, this is a very substantial improvement in the
quality of ... life," said Michael Friedman, the FDA's acting
commissioner and a cancer specialist.

Actiq will not be sold until March, because Anesta needs more time to
produce child-resistant packaging. Each lozenge will cost $6 to $15.

Pain is a major problem for cancer victims. About 800.000 with chronic
pain also suffer "breakthrough pain," sudden, agonizing episodes that
break through the regular painkillers taken several times each day.
The attacks can last as many as two hours.

A man with prostate cancer that has spread to the bones, for example,
might feel sudden, stabbing bone pain after taking his regular medicine.

Actiq, 10 times more potent than morphine, lets patients rapidly get
just the amount of medicine needed during each crisis.

It is made of fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller currently available in
injections and skin patches. Putting fentanyl in a lozenge lets the
drug seep through mouth tissues into the bloodstream in minutes.
Patients hold the lozenge between their gums and their cheeks until
they feel relief.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry