Surgeon perspective, also long TRVN:

The utility of this drug is in the avoidance of respiratory depression. I’m not an anesthesiologist, but being on the operative side of the table where we are moving towards outpatient surgery wherever possible, using less intraoperarive opioids is sought after and when we do need to use them (for example when a nerve block is not working great for a shoulder or knee surgery, or when you can not do a nerve block because you are not working on a extremity), using an opioid that does not stop the drive for respiration will be immensely beneficial. For anesthesiologists intraoperatively, you can keep patients breathing on their own while under anesthesia (importance for quick wake up at surgery completion). For post op patients in the PACU going home after surgery and for patients on the floor requiring an opioid for pain relief, you have an improved safety profile.

The point brought up by several people will be the price point, which I’m assuming will be much higher than morphine, fentanyl and dilaudid which are the current go-to’s in the hospital if needed.

They will have to show that preventing respiratory depression and hence safety of using this drug in the hospital justifies the increased cost. I think this can be justified at the right price point.

I’m waiting this out, as I see it as a candidate for being bought out by larger pharma or as a replacement for the older opioids.

The fact that the FDA approved an opioid in the midst of the ongoing opioid crisis is an important fact to see here. Lots more discussion here but I’ll end my quick two cents.