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Researchers are close to achieving an addiction-proof painkiller. In the lab, scientists have successfully administered a pain-relieving drug to rodents. The test subjects have not shown the typical addictive behavior to a drug called (+)-naloxone.
In a recent study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers explain their approach -- blocking "drug reward" with pain-relieving pills. Watch the video above and see how the new anti-addiction medication works.
The scope of painkiller abuse nationally and globally is often debated. The latest report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, released in April 2012, states nearly 7 million Americans grapple with prescription-drug addiction. The CDC reports deaths related to painkiller overdoses have tripled since 1990.
If the increased distribution of ocycodone and hydrocodone to U.S. pharmacies -- the nation's most popular prescription painkillers -- is any indication, the situation is getting worse. Ocycodone is a key ingredient of OxyContin, Percocet and Percodan. While hydrocodone can be found in Vicodin, Norco and Lortab, according to the AP.
With reports of prescription drug overdose on the rise, do you think this should be a larger national initiative? Share your thoughts in the comments.