Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

fentanyl citrate

(FEN-tuh-nil SIH-trayt)
A drug used to treat severe pain in people with chronic conditions, such as cancer, who have not gotten better after treatment with other opioids. It is also used to treat pain after surgery. Fentanyl citrate works by binding to mu opioid receptors in the central nervous system, which blocks pain signals and alters how the body responds to pain. It is a type of synthetic opioid agonist that acts as an analgesic (pain reliever). Also called Actiq.
More Information
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms