In a report by Terra Law Firm, an Iowa woman was sentenced after stealing Fentanyl lollipops from a nursing care home in Iowa. The said drug is said to be more potent that morphine as is often used as a pre-procedure medication. Excessive use of the fentanyl may cause death. Though fatal in nature, Fentanyl was found useful in the medical field as treatment to chronic breakthrough pain.

Intravenous fentanyl is extensively used for anesthesia and analgesia, most often in operating rooms and intensive care units. It is often administered in combination with a benzodiazepine, such as midazolam, to produce procedural sedation for endoscopy, cardiac catheterization, oral surgery, etc. Additionally, Fentanyl is often used in cancer therapy and other chronic pain management due to its effectiveness in relieving pain. There is no known opioid better than Fentanyl in reducing cancer pain, which makes it the first choice for use in cancer patients.

The biggest manufacturers of Fentanyl in the medical industry are Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora, Onsolis, Sublimaze and Instanyl.