PharmaWatch: Updates Impacting the Workers’ Compensation Industry

On November 24, 2025, the U.S. FDA approved reformulated ranitidine tablets in 150mg and 300mg strengths. Following extensive safety testing and manufacturing improvements, this marks the return of the acid-reducing medication in the U.S. market after a five-year absence.

In July 2025, Sola Pharmaceuticals released a new 300 mg ibupforen option with a prescription price tag in excess of $1,000 per script/per month.

On August 27, 2025, Unichem Pharmaceuticals voluntarily issued a recall for one lot of cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride 10 mg tablets due to a labeling error in which bottles labeled as cyclobenzaprine 10 mg actually contain 7.5 mg tablets of meloxicam.

The FDA is now recommending that products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)—an opioid derived from kratom—should be classified as scheduled drugs.

On July 31, 2025, the FDA announced labeling changes to all opioid pain medications to better emphasize the risks associated with long-term use.

ODG by MCG has adopted updates to its ODG Drug Formulary for workers' compensation, which includes U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs listed by generic and/or brand names that are commonly prescribed for workplace injuries.

On March 26, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a generic version of ZTlido™.

ODG by MCG has adopted updates to its ODG Drug Formulary, which includes U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs listed by generic and/or brand names that are commonly prescribed for workplace injuries.

On January 31, Alvogen, Inc, issued a voluntary, nationwide recall for one lot of Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/h patches.

On Jan. 30, 2025, the FDA approved Axsome Therapeutic’s Symbravo® for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. The expected launch of the drug is May 2025.

On January 28, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Ozempic® (semaglutide – Novo Nordisk) as a treatment for adults with type two diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

On Jan. 30, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Journavx (suzetrigine) 50 milligram oral tablets, a first-in-class non-opioid analgesic, to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults.

Based on feedback from health care practitioners, patients, and professional societies, the FDA issued the Federal Register notice, Modifications to Labeling of Buprenorphine-Containing Transmucosal Products for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence.

The FDA recall of duloxetine (Cymbalta) due to high levels of a potential carcinogen has been expanded to include an additional 233003 bottles.

ODG by MCG has adopted updates to its ODG Drug Formulary, which includes U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs listed by generic and/or brand names that are commonly prescribed for workplace injuries.

On August 7, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Purdue Pharma's Zurnai® (nalmefene) autoinjector for emergency treatment of opioid overdose in individuals aged 12 years and older.

On July 16, 2024, Endo USA, Inc. voluntarily recalled a single lot of Clonazepam 0.125 mg and 0.25 mg Orally Disintegrating tablets (ODT) due to a packaging error.

Effective July 26, 2024, ODG by MCG is updating Appendix A − its drug formulary – with the following medication edits to both the preferred, first-line “Y” drugs, and drugs that are not recommended as a first-line treatment known as “N” drugs.

Read our new Q2 2024 (January through March) pipeline report that features new drug approvals, new generics, withdrawals and discontinuations of certain products, as well as near-term pipeline products and patent expirations.

On June 13, 2024, Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted pediatric exclusivity for opioid medications Nucynta® and Nucynta® ER.