This undated image provided by AcelRx Pharmaceuticals shows the distributor and a tablet for the drug Dsuvia. On November 2, US regulators announced the approval of the fast-acting, super-potent opioid tablet as an alternative to IV pain relievers used in hospitals.(Photo: Craig Sherod, AP)

A new opioid tablet, 1,000 times more potent than morphine and 10 times more potent than fentanyl, was approved Friday by the Food and Drug Administration as a quick alternative to intravenous pain relievers used in hospitals.

The Dsuvia pain reliever will be limited to limited use only in health care facilities, such as hospitals, surgical centers and emergency rooms, but critics worry that the opioid is fueling an already catastrophic epidemic of opioids.

Democratic senate Ed Markey of Massachusetts urged the FDA not to approve pain treatment last month. saying "an opioid a thousand times more powerful than morphine is a thousand times more likely to be abused and a thousand times more likely to kill".

For this, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement that "very strict restrictions" would be imposed on Dsuvia.

Dsuvia will not be available in retail pharmacies or for home use, Gottlieb said. The drug, which is in a single-use package, should not be used for more than 72 hours. The drug is a tablet that can dissolve under the tongue. Side effects of the powerful drug include extreme fatigue, breathing problems, coma and death.

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Gottlieb said the military use of this drug had been "carefully researched", with the FDA wanting "to ensure that our soldiers have access to treatment that meets the unique needs of the battlefield".

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Associated Press contributed to this article. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets

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