Context
The widespread abuse of opioids has been a national tragedy. It has contributed to the deaths of thousands and led to billions of dollars spent in search of comprehensive remedies. To date, no single solution has been completely effective in reducing the consequences of opioid abuse, despite the commitment of federal, state, and local resources, and the best efforts of scientists and clinicians.
One response by the pharmaceutical industry, with the encouragement of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has been the creation of abuse deterrent formulations (ADFs) for opioids. However, it