Oxycontin

Prescription drug abuse is rampant with pain killing medications like Oxycontin and Vicodin (opioids) primarily being responsible for a surge in addictions. Most states have realized the problem with these medications and have implemented opioid regulations and increased scrutiny of pain management prescriptions. These actions have made a definite impact on the supply of diverted medicine on the market yet the number of addicts continues to grow. So what is an addict supposed to do?

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Almost a year after three executives of Purdue Pharm, makers of Oxycontin, were convicted of misrepresenting the powerful pain killer's potential for abuse and addiction the FDA is scheduled to review an improved version of the drug that may come closer to performing as originally claimed. According to the FDA’s agenda, the meeting will be held on May 5th and is being held to review “The sustained-release characteristics of this formulation are purportedly less easily defeated than other formulations of OXYCONTIN.”

It is really difficult to get any information on what exactly the company has changed in the formulation, most internet searches on Oxycontin will only produce the day’s string of Walgreens, Rexall, and CVS robberies.

TAMPA - A major chain is being hit hard by thieves. CVS pharmacies have been targeted four times in just the last two weeks… In every case, the suspects are looking for either Oxycontin or Hydrocodone. Retired Tampa Police Sergeant Jim Contento said that often it's the addict who commits the crime. ~ FOX Tampa Bay

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Capsaicin is the active component in chili peppers that acts as a deterrent to herbivores. In mammals, especially humans, contact with capsaicin will result in an extreme burning sensation. This is the very reason it is the primary ingredient in most self defense pepper sprays. Clifford Woolf, the Richard J. Kitz Professor of Anesthesia Research at Harvard Medical School, has been working on the novel idea of using capsaicin to prevent the abuse of prescription medication.

Opioid pain medications like Oxycontin or stimulant Adderall are often crushed and snorted by those who wish to “fast forward” the designed time release action of the drug. A capsaicin coating could be developed that permitted safe swallowing and digestion, but if brought in contact with the nasal passages or ingested as a powder would cause extreme discomfort.

"Imagine snorting an extract of 50 jalapeno peppers and you get the idea," Woolf says. "On a one to 10 scale, the pain is about a thousand. It feels like a mininuclear explosion in your mouth. It does not harm you, but you never want to experience that feeling again."~ Harvard Gazette

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When you say OC around most people these days no longer do they think you’re referring to Orange County. More often than not they’ll ask whether you have 40’s or 80’s (milligram tablets) of OxyContin, or other oxycodone based drugs. It doesn’t take a prognosticator to correlate exponentially rising painkiller distribution and trafficking with a sharp increase in opioid addictions. Truthfully I thought this was an American phenomenon until I came across this story about oxycodone addictions in the UK in the London Free Press appropriately called Social Cost Soars. I think the title is so apt because it works on several levels including the economic costs when referring to social services and health care and then again when referring to the burden addiction places upon families.

UK clinics that treat opioid addictions are seeing theses cases surpassing the incidence level of traditional illicit drug addictions, “…opioid addiction is reaching the levels of crack, cocaine and cannabis problems in Woodstock, Strathroy and St. Thomas and has surpassed crack, cocaine and cannabis in Ingersoll.” The rate addiction has become so rampant that even the dealers are getting wary of the aggressive users. Sergeant Dave MacDonald of a London police drug unit says "People on the street, they would rather deal with people on crack."

Back home across the big pond, we know that in less than ten years OxyContin sales have increased by over 500 %. You can blame this on the big drug companies and their misleading marketing campaigns and you would be right. But you could also blame it on those doctor shopping and the medical professionals who enable this behavior.

Strangely enough now that high-profile arrests and prosecutions by state and federal authorities have limited the rise of illicit prescriptions and doctor shopping, we may see a spike in heroin and other illegal drugs when those addicted search out other sources to get their fix. Regardless of the drug of choice one thing is certain, the problem will only continue to get worse until authorities place as big a priority on prevention and treatment as they do prosecution.

Three of Purdue Pharma’s top executives were sentenced last week for their roles in misrepresenting Oxycontin, a powerful pain killing opioid, to the medical community and general public. They were convicted of a litany of charges including:

The charges included several illegal schemes to promote, market and sell OxyContin as being less likely to cause abuse, addiction, tolerance and withdrawal than other pain medications. In particular, it is reported that Purdue trained its sales representatives to make false representations to health care providers about the difficulty of extracting oxycodone, the active ingredient, from the OxyContin tablet thereby decreasing the potential for abuse, and that a lack of euphoria rendered it less addictive than immediate-release opiates and morphine. In addition, Purdue falsely labeled OxyContin as providing "fewer peaks and valleys than with immediate-release oxycodone," and falsely represented that patients taking lower dosages of the drug can always be discontinued abruptly without suffering withdrawal symptoms or tolerance.

Purdue Pharma as a private company had already been penalized with $600 million in fines for the criminal activities. In my opinion, this should have characterized the seriousness of the crimes and been followed by draconian sentences for the three executives that orchestrated the crimes. Unfortunately it was not to be, none of the executives will set foot in prison with the worst of their sentences being probation and community service.

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