Study coauthor William J. Peppard, PharmD, discusses which patients may benefit most from suzetrigine after knee replacement and how pharmacists can address cost and access barriers to postoperative treatment.
In an interview with Pharmacy Times, William J. Peppard, PharmD, pain stewardship coordinator at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and coauthor of a retrospective suzetrigine study, discusses how patient selection and medication access shape postoperative use of the nonopioid analgesic.
Peppard emphasizes that success in opioid stewardship extends beyond reducing morphine milligram equivalents. The patient experience remains central, particularly functional recovery and quality of life. Maintaining these outcomes while reducing reliance on higher-risk medications can provide value, even when a regimen does not produce better pain scores.
Following total knee arthroplasty, the study showed a strong signal among patients who were opioid-naive. Patients with opioid tolerance were underrepresented, preventing firm conclusions about their outcomes. Peppard also highlights patients at increased risk of opioid-related adverse effects as candidates for opioid-sparing strategies. These include individuals taking benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressants, as well as patients with underlying pulmonary disease.
Cost is a significant obstacle to broader suzetrigine use. Peppard describes an internal analysis in which approximately half of patients obtained insurance coverage and the remainder relied on manufacturer assistance. His concern is that patients unable to afford treatment may lose access to its potential benefits.
He also calls for evidence across additional procedures and patient populations. Although registration trials provide controlled efficacy data, their comparator regimens may differ from local practice. Postmarketing studies can contribute information about treatment in routine care and help clinicians assess its applicability.
Peppard closes by encouraging pharmacists to anticipate operational barriers before surgery. Resolving prior authorization requirements and coordinating prescription availability can reduce the chance that patients encounter delays while traveling home after their procedure.
For pharmacy teams, the discussion connects individualized treatment selection with access planning. A postoperative regimen can achieve its intended benefit only when patients can obtain and use the prescribed medication.
