FDA cracks down on anti-diarrhea drug abuse amid spike in overdoses

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of the fight against the nation’s opioid epidemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that one common antidiarrheal drug should be given new packaging.
The agency is working with manufacturers to change the packaging of the drug loperamide to include blister packs and single-dose packaging, which could reduce the likelihood of overdose, according to FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
Loperamide, sold under brand names such as Imodium, is