Opioids May Become Safer; Researchers On Drug Development

Opioids are effective pain relievers, but their usage is limited because patients get accustomed to them, necessitating higher and higher dosages. Also, overdoses can result in respiratory depression and death. "The holy grail of opioid research is to determine the ideal properties of an opioid analgesic for maximizing pain relief while reducing the adverse side effects," said Jennifer Whistler, professor of UC Davis School of Medicine.