"Louisiana Physician Innovates Safer Pain Treatment to Replace Opioids"
Dr. Hernan Bazan, a physician at Ochsner Health, is developing a non-addictive pain drug as a safer alternative to opioids, motivated by the toll of addiction and overdose he witnessed. The drug, based on a molecule called SRP-001, has shown promise in Phase 1 trials and has received a Fast-Track designation from the FDA. Louisiana, heavily impacted by the opioid crisis, has seen a surge in drug overdose deaths, prompting the need for safer pain management options. If successful, the new drug could be available by 2028.