FDA accepts powerful opioid pill as alternative to IV pain reliever

US regulators have approved a fast-acting, super-potent opioid tablet as an alternative to intravenous pain medication used in hospitals.

The decision taken Friday by the Food and Drug Administration has been taken into account by critics fearing that the pill is misused. In a statement, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said its distribution and use would be subject to "very strict restrictions."

The tiny pill has been developed as an option for patients who have problems using intravenous solutions, including soldiers on the battlefield. The AcelRx Pharmaceuticals pill contains the same decades-old analgesic often given intravenously or by injection to operated patients and working women. It is intended for use only in medical facilities.