Suzetrigine, a novel non-opioid analgesic targeting NaV1.8 sodium channels, has generated public interest as a safe, non-addictive option for managing acute pain.1 People frequently seek medication information online, with many patients reporting they have used online resources as a first stop for queries.2 However, quality and reliability of web-based content surrounding emerging analgesics are poorly characterized. Thus, we aimed to evaluated the content and quality of online information related to suzetrigine using validated assessment tools.

Using a web scraping tool, we searched 3 terms (“suzetrigine”, “Journaux”, “vx-548”) for 300 question+website combinations per term from the “People Also Ask” section on Google Chrome. A total of 900 question+websites were identified. After excluding questions unrelated to “suzetrigine”, “Journaux”, or “vx-548”, and 1 website link that did not open, 712 question+websites were included for final analysis. Questions were classified using Rothwell’s Classification and medication-specific themes. Rothwell’s Classification is a validated framework for categorizing health information-seeking behavior into fact, policy, and value domains. Websites were categorized by source (academic, commercial, government, medical practice, public). Content quality was assessed using JAMA benchmark criteria (authorship, attribution, currency, disclosure) and the BriefDISCERN instrument. A large-language machine learning model assigned Rothwell’s Classification to questions. Two raters evaluated website quality. Interobserver reliability was assessed using Cohen’s kappa for binary variables, weighted kappa for ordinal scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for continuous measures.

The top ten most common questions are listed in Table 1. Up to 30% of questions were answered by Google Chrome’s AI function. Assessment of questions found that 99 questions compare suzetrigine to other medications or ask about the safety of taking suzetrigine with other pain medications, including opioids, Tylenol, ibuprofen. Analysis of question themes found that definition/indications and usage instructions (37.9%), and questions about availability/cost (30.5%) were most prevalent (Table 2).

Commercial websites accounted for most content (52%), then academic (26%) and government (15%) (Table 3). Both raters scored modest JAMA scores (mean±SD: 2.85±1.39 and 2.79±1.25). Academic sources scored highest JAMA totals and commercial sources scored lower across attribution and disclosure domains. BriefDISCERN scores demonstrated similar trends for both raters (17.92±6.85 and 18.92±7.52), with academic websites achieving highest mean scores (23-26), while commercial and government sources scored lower (15-18). Interobserver reliability was substantial to excellent (kappa 0.69-0.94; ICC up to 0.94). 

Publicly available online information about suzetrigine is of variable quality, with frequent deficiencies in source transparency and balanced risk discussion. The predominance of fact-based and availability-related questions reflects a need for clear, practical guidance during early medication adoption. Prominence of commercial websites and growing presence of AI-generated responses highlight the importance of clinician awareness of the online information shaping patient expectations and counseling to support informed decision-making for novel pain therapies.

1.    Bertoch T, D'Aunno D, McCoun J, et al. Suzetrigine, a Nonopioid Na V 1.8 Inhibitor for Treatment of Moderate-to-severe Acute Pain: Two Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trials. Anesthesiology. 2025;142(6):1085-1099. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000005460.

2. Alzghaibi H. People behavioral during health information searching in COVID-19 era: a review. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1166639. Published 2023 Aug 10. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1166639.