Sharp rises in opioid abuse and overdose rates in the United States over the past two decades have prompted much-needed review of prescription rates and ease of access to controlled substances.  Combatting these alarming trends requires assessing which opioids are more addictive and habit-forming than others and setting standards and guidelines for prescribing that accurately reflect the relative risk of a drug.

Trezix (NDC drug name 66992-0340), an oral analgesic used to manage moderate to moderately severe pain, has a lower morphine milligram equivalent (MME) dose than stronger opioids such as morphine, hydrocodone, and fentanyl.1  It is formulated as a short-acting opioid, which has a lower risk of addiction or overdose than long-acting opioids.2

In this report we present an overview of the safety and usage data for Trezix and similar low dose dihydrocodeine combinations.  It is our carefully-considered opinion that Trezix should not be regulated as strictly or in the same classification as opioids of morphine-equivalent or higher strength.