The Vertex drug is a milestone after a long history of unsuccessful efforts to develop painkillers without the addictive potential of opioids.

Despite high demand for an option like Journavx, doctors fear the drug’s price could be a hangup for insurers and limit patients’ ability to access it.

The drug, Journavx by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, blocks pain signals to the brain, making it nonaddictive. The Food and Drug Administration approved a new medication Thursday to treat pain from an injury or surgery. It is expensive, with a list price of $15.50 per pill. But unlike opioid pain medicines, it cannot become addictive.