PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS

1 - 207 . (canceled)

208 . A method for providing increased pain relief, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutical composition that comprises an effective amount of an opioid analgesic to treat pain and an effective amount of an antiemetic to increase the subject's pain relief from that provided by the opioid analgesic.

209 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises an effective amount of a non-opioid analgesic to treat pain.

210 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the opioid analgesic and non-opioid analgesic are formulated for controlled-release and the antiemetic is formulated for immediate-release.

211 . The method of claim 210 , wherein the immediate-release antiemetic has a Tmax that is about 20-100 minutes shorter than a Tmax of a corresponding standard-release antiemetic.

212 . The method of claim 211 , wherein the immediate-release antiemetic has a Tmax that is about 50 minutes shorter than a Tmax of a corresponding standard-release antiemetic.

213 . The method of claim 211 , wherein the immediate-release antiemetic has a Tmax that is about 70 minutes shorter than a Tmax of a corresponding standard-release antiemetic.

214 . The method of claim 210 , wherein the immediate-release antiemetic has an about 20-100% greater absorption in the first hour than a corresponding standard-release antiemetic.

215 . The method of claim 214 , wherein the immediate-release antiemetic has an about 60% greater absorption in the first hour than a corresponding standard-release antiemetic.

216 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the subject has an increased pain relief compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

217 . The method of claim 216 , wherein the increase pain relief is about 10% increased compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

218 . The method of claim 216 , wherein the increase pain relief is for severe pain.

219 . The method of claim 218 , wherein the increased severe pain relief is about 25% increased over the initial 24 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

220 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the opioid analgesic comprises hydrocodone, oxycodone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; the antiemetic comprises promethazine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and the non-opioid analgesic comprises acetaminophen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

221 . The method of claim 220 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises: from about 6.5 mg to about 8.5 mg of hydrocodone, oxycodone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; from about 12.5 mg to about 25 mg of promethazine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and from about 290 to about 360 mg of the acetaminophen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

222 . The method of claim 221 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises 12.5 mg of promethazine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof about 7.5 mg of the hydrocodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and about 325 mg of the acetaminophen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

223 . The method of claim 222 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 12.5 mg of promethazine hydrochloride, about 7.5 mg of hydrocodone bitartrate and about 325 mg of acetaminophen.

224 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the increased pain relief is measured by a greater than 30% reduction in pain intensity following administration of the pharmaceutical composition.

225 . The method of claim 209 , comprising a relative reduction in the risk of vomiting of at least 50% for the 24 hours or more following administration of the pharmaceutical composition.

226 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the subject has increased pain relief during the initial 6 hours post administration.

227 . The method of claim 209 , comprising reducing or preventing opioid induced nausea or vomiting (OINV) in a subject.

228 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the subject experiences a reduced need for a supplemental antiemetic during the initial 6 hours or initial 24 hours post-administration.

229 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the subject experiences no need for a supplemental analgesic during the initial 6 hours or initial 24 hours post-administration.

230 . The method of claim 209 , wherein the subject is administered the pharmaceutical composition every four to six hours.

231 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the subject is a post-operative subject.

232 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the subject is a post-discharge subject.

233 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the pain is moderate to severe pain.

234 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the pain is severe pain.

235 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the pain is acute pain.

236 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition does not cause increased sedation in comparison to a pharmaceutical composition with the same amount of the opioid analgesic, in the absence of the antiemetic.

237 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the opioid analgesic is formulated for controlled-release and the antiemetic is formulated for immediate-release.

238 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the antiemetic is promethazine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

239 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the opioid is hydrocodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

240 . The method of claim 208 , wherein the opioid is oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

241 . A method for providing increased pain relief and reducing or preventing opioid induced nausea or vomiting (OINV), the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutical composition that comprises, an effective amount of an opioid analgesic formulated for controlled-release to treat pain and an effective amount of an antiemetic formulated for immediate-release to increase the subject's pain relief from that provided by the opioid analgesic and to reduce or prevent OINV.

242 . The method of claim 241 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises an effective amount of a non-opioid analgesic formulated for controlled-release to treat pain.

243 . The method of claim 242 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results in about 60% lower nausea intensity following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

244 . The method of claim 242 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results about 30% reduction in peak intensity of nausea over 24 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

245 . The method of claim 242 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results about 30% reduction in peak intensity of nausea over 5 days of treatment compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

246 . The method of claim 242 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results about 15% reduction in moderate or severe nausea over 6 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

247 . The method of claim 242 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results about 60% reduction in moderate or severe nausea over 24 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

248 . The method of claim 242 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results in a reduction in vomiting over 6 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

249 . The method of claim 242 , wherein the administration of the pharmaceutical composition results in a 50% reduction in vomiting over 24 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

250 . A method for treating pain and reducing or preventing opioid induced nausea or vomiting (OINV) due to periodic administration of an opioid for 24 hours or more, the method comprising periodically administering over 24 hours or more to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutical composition that comprises an effective amount of an antiemetic formulated for immediate-release to reduce or preventing OINV, an effective amount of an opioid analgesic formulated for controlled-release to treat pain, wherein the subject's pain is treated and the subject's reduced or prevented OINV is maintained for the 24 hours or more.

251 . The method of claim 250 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises an effective amount of a non-opioid analgesic formulated for controlled-release to treat pain.

252 . The method of claim 251 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results in a reduction or prevention in a frequency of nausea or vomiting for 24 hours or more in comparison to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

253 . The method of claim 252 , wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition results in about 65% reduction in vomiting over 24 hours following a first administration compared to a subject administered a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the opioid analgesic and the non-opioid analgesic without the antiemetic.

254 . A tablet comprising: an effective amount of: one or more opioid analgesics, and one or more antiemetics, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or vehicle, wherein the tablet has a friability of about 0.9% or less.

255 . The tablet of claim 254 , wherein the friability is about 0.1% or less.

256 . The tablet of claim 254 , wherein the table has a hardness of about 17 kp or less.

257 . The tablet of claim 254 , wherein the table has a hardness of about 15 kp.