Dextromoramide[4] (Palfium, Palphium, Jetrium, Dimorlin)[5] is a powerful opioid analgesic approximately three times more potent than morphine but shorter acting.

[6] It is subject to drug prohibition regimes, both internationally through UN treaties and by the criminal law of individual nations, and is usually prescribed only in the Netherlands.

Dextromoramide was discovered and patented in 1956 by Paul Janssen at Janssen Pharmaceuticals, who also discovered fentanyl, another important synthetic opioid, widely used to treat pain and in combination with other drugs as an anaesthetic, as well as haloperidol, piritramide, the loperamide-diphenoxylate series and other important drugs.

[8] It has the main proprietary name of Palfium amongst others, though as of mid-2004 the drug was discontinued in the UK due to limited supplies of precursor chemicals.

Although this is true, it is believed there was an approximate one year shortage of Dextromoramide and the real reason that Palfium was not put back into production for the UK market is because of how addictive and potent it is as an oral painkiller.