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A new painkiller is providing an alternative to opioids, but many people can't get it

By Sydney Lupkin
Published July 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM EDT

The first new non-opioid for severe acute pain has been on the market for a few months. But it's a lot more expensive than opioids, and many people can't get it because of spotty insurance coverage.

Copyright 2025 NPR
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US / WorldNPR HealthAll Things Considered
Sydney Lupkin
Sydney Lupkin is the pharmaceuticals correspondent for NPR.
See stories by Sydney Lupkin
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