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Morphine (Avinza, Kadian): Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

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Facts
Status:
Prescription (Rx) Controlled substance Schedule II Boxed warning Being discontinued since December 22, 2025
Strength:
100 mg/5 mL, 20 mg/5 mL, 10 mg/5 mL
Brand names:
Drug class:
Active ingredient:
Similar drugs:

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed · About this document

Patient information: uses, side effects, how to take - Morphine

Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution is:

  • A strong prescription pain medicine that contains an opioid (narcotic) that is used to manage short term (acute) and long term (chronic) pain severe enough to require an opioid pain medicine, when other pain treatments such as non-opioid pain medicines do not treat your pain well enough or you cannot tolerate them.
  • An opioid pain medicine that can put you at risk for overdose and death. Even if you take your dose correctly as prescribed you are at risk for opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse that can lead to death.

Important information about Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution:

  • Get emergency help or call 911 right away if you take too much Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution (overdose). When you first start taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution, when your dose is changed, or if you take too much (overdose), serious or life-threatening breathing problems that can lead to death may occur. Ask your healthcare provider about medicines like naloxone or nalmefene that can be used in an emergency to reverse an opioid overdose.
  • Taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution with other opioid medicines, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, decreased awareness, breathing problems, coma, and death.
  • Never give anyone else your Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution. They could die from taking it. Selling or giving away Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution is against the law.
  • Store Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution securely, out of sight and reach of children, and in a location not accessible by others, including visitors to the home.

Do not take Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution if you have:

  • severe asthma, trouble breathing, or other lung problems.
  • a bowel blockage or have narrowing of the stomach or intestines.
  • an allergy to morphine.

Before taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution, tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of:

  • head injury, seizures
  • liver, kidney, thyroid problems
  • problems urinating
  • pancreas or gallbladder problems
  • abuse of street or prescription drugs, alcohol addiction, opioid overdose, or mental health problems.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are:

  • noticing your pain getting worse. If your pain gets worse after you take Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution, do not take more of Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution without first talking to your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider if the pain that you have increases, if you feel more sensitive to pain, or if you have new pain after taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution.
  • pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Use of Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution for an extended period of time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in your newborn baby that could be life-threatening if not recognized and treated.
  • breastfeeding. Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution passes into breast milk and may harm your baby. Carefully observe infants for increased sleepiness (more than usual), breathing difficulties, or limpness. Seek immediate medical care if you notice these signs.
  • living in a household where there are small children or someone who has abused street or prescription drugs.
  • taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements. Taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution with certain other medicines can cause serious side effects that could lead to death.

When taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution:

  • Do not change your dose. Take Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Use the lowest dose possible for the shortest time needed.
  • For acute (short-term) pain, you may only need to take Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution for a few days. You may have some Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution left over that you did not use. See disposal information at the bottom of this section for directions on how to safely throw away (dispose of) your unused Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution.
  • See the detailed Instructions for Use for information about how to take Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution 100 mg per 5 mL (20 mg/mL) in adults who are regularly taking an opioid pain medicine (opioid-tolerant) and always use the enclosed graduated oral syringe.
  • Always use a graduated oral syringe to correctly measure your dose. Never use a household teaspoon or tablespoon to measure Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution. Your pharmacist should provide you with an oral syringe for taking or giving Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution 2 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL.
  • Take your prescribed dose every 4 hours as needed for pain. Do not take more than your prescribed dose. If you miss a dose, take your next dose at your usual time.
  • Call your healthcare provider if the dose you are taking does not control your pain.
  • If you have been taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution regularly, do not stop taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution without talking to your healthcare provider.
  • Dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution by promptly flushing down the toilet, if a drug take-back option is not readily available. Visit www.fda.gov/drugdisposal for additional information on disposal of unused medicines.

While taking Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution DO NOT:

  • Drive or operate heavy machinery, until you know how Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution affects you. Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution can make you sleepy, dizzy, or lightheaded.
  • Drink alcohol or use prescription or over-the-counter medicines that contain alcohol. Using products containing alcohol during treatment with Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution may cause you to overdose and die.

The possible side effects of Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution:

  • constipation, nausea, sleepiness, vomiting, tiredness, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain. Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms and they are severe.

Get emergency medical help or call 911 right away if you have:

  • trouble breathing, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, chest pain, swelling of your face, tongue, or throat, extreme drowsiness, light-headedness when changing positions, feeling faint, agitation, high body temperature, trouble walking, stiff muscles, or mental changes such as confusion.

These are not all the possible side effects of Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information go to dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.

Distributed by:

Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.

Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

For more information, please call 1-800-962-8364.

This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

C50001154/03

Revised December 2025

Instructions For Use

Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution, CII

20 mg/mL

Important Information You Need to Know Before Using Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution:

  • The Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution 20 mg/mL should only be used in adults who have received opioids in the past or who are currently receiving opioids.
  • Always use the oral syringe that comes with your Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution to measure your prescribed dose.
  • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to show you how to measure your prescribed dose.

Each Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution carton contains:

  • 1 Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution bottle
  • 1 Oral syringe

Step 1: Remove the Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution bottle and oral syringe from the carton. Place all items on a flat surface.

Open the bottle by pressing downward firmly on the child-resistant cap and twisting it in the direction of the arrow (counter-clockwise). See Figure A.

Do not throw away the child-resistant cap.

Figure A

Step 2: Check the dose in milliliters (mL) as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Find this number on the oral syringe. See Figure B.

Figure B

Step 3: Push the oral syringe plunger to the bottom of the barrel of the syringe (toward its tip) to remove excess air. See Figure C.

Figure C

Step 4: On the flat surface, use one hand to hold the bottle and use your other hand to insert the oral syringe into the bottle opening. See Figure D.

Figure D

Step 5: With the oral syringe in the bottle, pull the plunger to withdraw the dose prescribed by your healthcare provider (the amount of oral solution in Step 2). See Figure E.

Note: Measure the dose of medicine from the widest part of the plunger. Do not measure from the narrow tip.

If you see air bubbles in the syringe, fully push in the plunger so that the oral solution flows back into the bottle. Then withdraw your prescribed dose of oral solution.

Figure E

Step 6: Remove the oral syringe from the bottle. See Figure F.

Figure F

Step 7: Check that the correct dose was drawn up into the oral syringe. See Figure G.

If the dose is not correct, insert the oral syringe tip into the bottle. Fully push in the plunger so that the oral solution flows back into the bottle. Repeat Steps 4 through 6.

Figure G

Steps 8: Take the dose of Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution. See Figure H.

  • Place the tip of the oral syringe in your mouth. Close your lips around the barrel of the syringe.
  • Slowly push down the oral syringe plunger until the syringe is empty.

Figure H

Step 9: Put the child-resistant cap back on the bottle. See Figure I.

Figure I

Step 10: Rinse the oral syringe with tap water after each use. See Figure J.

  • Remove the plunger from the oral syringe barrel.
  • Rinse the oral syringe barrel and plunger with water and let them air dry.
  • When the oral syringe barrel and plunger are dry, put the plunger back into the oral syringe barrel for the next use.

Do not throw away the oral syringe.

Figure J

How should I store Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution?

  • Store Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution at room temperature 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
  • Protect from moisture.
  • Keep Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Distributed by:

Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.

Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

For more information, please call 1-800-962-8364.

This Instructions for Use has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

C50001154/03

Revised December 2023

About this document

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed · Application number: NDA 022195 · View the label on DailyMed

Revision date stated in the text: December 2023

Found a mistake? Write to us via the contact page.

The information on this site does not replace the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.

Drug information for Morphine

Rx or OTC
Prescription (Rx), Controlled substance?
  • This drug is available only with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
  • This drug is a controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act.
  • Rx
Controlled substance Schedule IISchedule II: high potential for abuse; abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
Boxed warning Yes – this drug has a boxed warning (also called a black box warning), the strongest warning of the FDA.
Drug class Opioid Agonist
Active ingredient Morphine sulfate
Dosage form Solution
Route Oral
Marketing status listed in the FDA NDC Directory
Company (applicant) HIKMA
FDA approval NDA 022195New Drug Application (NDA) Approved March 17, 2008
Reference listed drug This is the reference listed drug (RLD) that generics are compared with.
Therapeutic equivalence (TE) code AACodes starting with A mean the FDA rates the drug therapeutically equivalent to its reference drug (Orange Book).
Generics Morphine Sulfate with the same TE code
Manufacturers 8 labelers list this drug on DailyMed
Drug shortage
  • Being discontinued since December 22, 2025
Packages (NDC)
Package
100 mg/5 mL – 30 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0404-44
100 mg/5 mL – 120 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0404-50
100 mg/5 mL – 15 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0404-41
100 mg/5 mL – 30 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0517-44
100 mg/5 mL – 120 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0517-50
100 mg/5 mL – 15 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0517-41
20 mg/5 mL – 500 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0238-63
20 mg/5 mL – 100 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0238-49
10 mg/5 mL – 5 ml in 1 cup, unit-dose / 10 in 1 box NDC 0054-0237-55
10 mg/5 mL – 100 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0237-49
10 mg/5 mL – 500 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0237-63
10 mg/5 mL – 15 ml in 1 bottle NDC 0054-0237-41

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed, data as of October 31, 2026. FDA data (DailyMed, Orange Book, Drug Shortages, enforcement reports). Not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.