US FDA approves first test to identify opioid use addiction risk

The FDA has approved AvertD, the first test developed by SOLVD Health, to assess the risk of opioid use addiction in individuals before their initial use of oral opioid painkillers. The prescription-use genetic test, granted approval to AutoGenomics, analyzes DNA samples collected from a cheek swab to identify genetic variants associated with an elevated risk of developing opioid use disorder. Intended for patients 18 years and older with acute pain requiring 4 to 30 days of prescription, the test aims to address the opioid epidemic, responsible for over half a million overdose deaths in the U.S. over two decades.