Redefining Relief: The Long Road to a Safer Painkiller

Thirty years from the start of the opioid epidemic, progress is being made.

By Merom Arthur

The pills in bottles tucked away in our medicine cabinets may seem harmless, but, in fact, hold a quiet, yet potent, power. They can heal, but they can also harm. Opioids are a class of effective pain-relieving drugs that include natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic substances. Natural opioids, like morphine and codeine, come from the opium poppy plant. Semi-synthetic opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and heroin, are made by modifying natural opioids, while synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, are created in labs. All opioids require a prescription, regardless of how they are created, and are federally regulated due to their addictive nature.

The use of opioids dates back thousands of years, but the epidemic we know today began in the 1990s. Purdue Pharma marketed OxyContin as a safer, less addictive drug, claims that were later proven false. This launched the first wave of the crisis, as prescription rates soared and overdose deaths increased. Prescriptions then became harder to get, with many turning to heroin, and, later, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Today, the epidemic is marked by deadly combinations of opioids and other substances. The epidemic has caused overdose deaths to rise dramatically — from 2.9 per 100,000 people in 1999 to over 21 per 100,000 by 2020 — making it one of the most devastating public health crises in American history.

“We as a society have been trained that the answer is always in a pill,” says Cammie Rice, CEO and Founder of the Christopher Wolf Crusade (CWC) Alliance in Atlanta. Her son fell victim to the harmful impacts of opioids after being prescribed them post-operatively, compelling her advocacy. Rice’s story, like so many others, reflects a larger systemic issue: present conditions have turned pain relief into a life sentence.

There is a pressing need for scientific advancements to provide sustainable and safe pain relief. Recently, the FDA approved Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ drug Suzetrigine under the brand name Journavx, the first non-opioid pain medication in 25 years. 

Most pain medicines, like Novocain shots at the dentist, broadly stop pain signaling across the body, but this can cause side effects. Suzetrigine is different. It only targets one pathway used for pain signaling. It helps stop the pain without affecting other parts of the body. Users may still be subject to side effects like itching, rash, or muscle spasms, but nothing as severe as those related to opioids—a step in the right direction to combating the opioid epidemic.

The Limitations of Suzetrigine 

Headlines on CNN, and in NBC News, The New York Times, and other major outlets, however, could be misleading. They may create the misconception that this non-opioid is the next miracle drug on the market. Perhaps, they may suggest that Suzetrigine can treat all forms of pain or that it is easily prescribed by a primary care physician. Suzetrigine is novel in many ways, but, by no means, is it revolutionizing modern medicine.  

The FDA approved Suzetrigine specifically as a treatment for moderate-to-severe acute pain. Acute pain is short-term, lasting no longer than six months. It is a normal physiological response to injury, trauma, or medical treatments, and typically subsides when the underlying cause is treated or healed. These underlying causes could range from cuts and sprains to fractures, burns, post-operative pain, and infection-associated pain. 

Moreover, the drug is not ready for immediate use, and patients will likely not be prescribed Suzetrigine soon. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, now with the FDA’s approval, must go state-to-state to market the drug to Medicaid and other insurance companies. The company must also talk to physicians and find advocates to champion Suzetrigine to bring awareness to patient populations. This takes both time and money.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals also intends to make a profit following investment into the research, development, and marketing for their new product. Suzetrigine, prescribed in 50-milligram doses, is currently projected to be $15.50 per pill, but this per-unit price could increase with continued investment by Vertex. This may create added barriers to patients who may benefit from the medication.

Still, this approval of Suzetrigine, after 17 years of research, is transformative in the field of pain management. The last non-opioid pain prescription to receive FDA approval was Celebrex in 1998, but it was not the last attempt at this kind of treatment. Several interventions were presented to the FDA prior to Vertex’s drug, but they failed to gain approval. VibraCool, for example, proposed combining vibration and ice to provide for temporary relief for minor injuries and myofascial pain post-surgery, but faced backlash from FDA investigators. In fact, the FDA issued a warning that such devices lack evidence and pose potential risks like frostbite, burns, and asphyxiation. Whole body cryotherapy, similarly, has yet to receive FDA approval.

The Future of Pain Management

Even with the approval of Suzetrigine, experts are working tirelessly to expand options for non-addictive pain management. Dr. Anna Woodbury, double board-certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Atlanta, for example, focuses on non-pharmacologic techniques of nerve stimulation for pain treatment. These options reflect an encouraging shift, putting power back in patients’ hands with the ability to be used at home. 

She notes, however, that non-addictive treatment is not without concern. “Any tool for pain management must be used carefully and under medical guidance to avoid adverse effects”, she says.

For example, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a low-risk, home-available treatment, even purchasable on platforms like Amazon. Yet, for patients with pacemakers or sensitive skin, improper use could lead to dangerous disruptions or burns. Similarly, tDCS transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) show promise for at-home use, but they require physician oversight. 

Outside the lab, advocacy organizations are leading the cultural shift around pain and healing. The CWC Alliance is working to change how we think about pain management and to stop opioid misuse before it starts. Rice developed the Life Care Specialist Program, a pioneering model that embeds holistic pain coaches into hospital systems. These specialists offer more than education; they offer continuity of care, emotional support, and practical tools to help patients navigate the path to recovery. 

“We have coaches for everything—sports, childbirth, even breastfeeding. But in a health crisis, where’s the coach?” Rice says. Through this model, the CWC Alliance empowers patients and families with the resources to heal, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. 

Suzetrigine’s approval, on top of existing non-pharmaceutical innovations and grassroots efforts, is another signal that the tide may finally be turning in how we treat pain. Vertex’s targeted approach represents a fresh and much-needed direction, one that prioritizes both effectiveness and safety.

And Vertex isn’t stopping here. The company recognizes the broader, still-unmet need in chronic pain management, a space where millions continue to suffer daily. Ongoing clinical trials exploring conditions like lumbar radiculopathy and peripheral diabetic neuropathy hint at a future where drugs like Suzetrigine may help rewrite the story of how we manage long-term pain.

In a world where too many people have paid the price for relief, this isn’t just about innovation—it’s about redemption and redefinition. The future of pain relief doesn’t have to come in a bottle with a warning label—it can start with science and advocacy that listens to the body and to the people living in pain.