FDA Releases Overdose Prevention Framework

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a new Overdose Prevention Framework, to provide focus for FDA actions to address the ongoing and evolving overdose crisis. The FDA identifies four key priorities in the Framework:

(1) supporting primary prevention;

(2) encouraging harm reduction;

(3) advancing development of evidence-based treatments; and

(4) protecting the public from unapproved, diverted, or counterfeit drugs presenting overdose risks.

While the first three priorities parallel those set by the Overdose Prevention Strategy of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the fourth is intended to enhance the security of drug supply chains by FDA prevention and enforcement efforts to reduce counterfeit drugs and illegal online sales.