Methadone cited in 30 percent of painkiller deaths

(Reuters) - Methadone use contributed to more than 30 percent of U.S. overdose deaths from prescription painkillers, even though it is rarely prescribed for that purpose, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday.

Methadone was developed in Germany in 1937, and has been used by U.S. doctors since the 1960s to treat drug addiction. Its use for chronic pain relief has been on the rise since the mid-1990s, largely due to its relatively low cost, and the drug now accounts for about 2 percent of prescriptions in the country.

The CDC report analyzed national data from 1999 to 2010, which showed six times as many methadone-related deaths in 2009, compared with 1999 -- making it a leading killer in what the CDC has previously described as a prescription overdose epidemic. More frequently prescribed drugs include highly addictive ingredients such as oxycodone and codeine.

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