Purdue Pharma L.P announced that the Food and Drug Administration approved a new formula for blockbuster painkiller, OxyContin (Oxycodone HCI) a potent opioid.

The idea is to avoid the drug from being cut, broken, chewed, crushed or dissolved to release more medication, something that happened very often with the previous formulation.

According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration´s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, almost 500 thousand people used for the first time OxyContin for non-medical use during 2008.

The new formula, could allow a lower risk of overdose on people that snort or inject the drug.

Purdue will also, be required to conduct a postmarket study (commonly known as Phase IV trial) in order to collect data on misused of the new formula.