Local doctor warns of new painkiller 'Zohydro'

A new prescription painkiller that just hit the market already has some Florida leaders concerned.

Zohydro contains up to five times the amount of hydrocodone as Vicodin.  It’s administered over a 12-hour extended time release.

“This is a long-acting pain medicine,” says Dr. Sunil Joshi with the Duval County Medical Society.  “Do we need another pain medication in the marketplace?”

Joshi says his biggest concern is the potential for abuse.

“It can get into your system quicker than the twelve hours if people manipulate the pill,” he says.  “People are very smart, unfortunately, and they come up with ways.”

Joshi says the benefit he sees in the drug is that it only contains hydrocodone and not acetaminophen, or Tylenol.  He says that will limit the harm to the liver.

Last week, Massachusetts approved new restrictions on how Zohydro is prescribed and regulated.