The Food and Drug Administration has recently approved the use of the pain management medication, Oxycontin, in children suffering from extreme pain.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration requested the manufacturer of the pain medication Oxycontin to perform studies on the use of the drug in children. The data from the studies led to the FDA’s approval of the pain medication in children 11 to 16, according to the FDA.

Some experts in the field of addiction are sceptical about the new FDA ruling.

“It scares me. Anytime they allow these types of medications with kids, is frightening,”

said the Founder of Action Family Foundation, Cary Quashen.

For adults, Oxycontin is prescribed for the management of pain and requires daily, around the clock opioid treatment, according to the FDA.

Due to problems with abuse of pain management medications, pharmaceutical companies are making opioid pain medications more resistant to misuse.

Related: Painkiller Addicts Turn To Heroin; How To Help.

“I definitely don’t want kids in extreme pain to feel pain. But we really have to be careful when we treat pain,” said Quashen. “Not just with kids, but with adults too. Doctors who are prescribing these drugs need to be careful and tell those who are taking the medication to be careful.”

The need for pain medications, like Oxycontin, is well understood in the medical community and, when used correctly, can serve as the antidote to patients suffering from extreme pain.    

“As a society we don’t like to see people in pain, but we need to be careful of who we prescribe to, what we are prescribing and how long they are use it,” said Quashen.

Medications, such as Oxycontin, should be stored safely and securely stored so that no other members of the household such as older siblings, teens, friends or visitors have access to them, according to the FDA.

“This goes without saying, that any medication prescribed to children should never have access by themselves. It should be distributed by parents or caretakers,” said Quashen.

Parents, as caretakers, are implored to take all of the usual precautions when storing medications, like Oxycontin, in their home, according to the FDA.

“Parents really need to educate themselves on whatever drug is being prescribed to their child, ” said Quashen. “Parents should be aware of the prescribed medications and also educate themselves on the symptoms of abuse.”