Palladone for chronic pain.

Palladone is a new long-acting formulation of the opioid agonist hydromorphone that is taken once daily for treatment of chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients. There is no evidence that it is more effective or has fewer adverse effects than other opioids. If Palladone capsules are broken, dissolved, crushed or taken with alcohol, the entire 24-hour dose can be released at once and could be lethal, especially in non-opioid tolerant individuals.