The initial dose of Fentanyl OTFC is 800 mcg. This dose provides equivalent pain control to how many milligrams of morphine?

• A. 5 mg
• B. 10 mg
• C. 15 mg
• D. 20 mg

Answer: (B)

Fentanyl delivered transmucosally is extremely potent and acts quickly. When given at that OTFC dose, the analgesic effect is designed to be in line with a modest amount of morphine, taking into account the rapid onset and the higher bioavailability of this route. In other words, the 800 mcg fentanyl dose produces pain relief similar to a small-to-moderate morphine dose, rather than a large one. That’s why the best match among common options is the smaller morphine amount: anything higher would imply more pain relief than this fentanyl dose typically provides, and anything lower would underestimate it.