Pharmaceutical Injuries - OxyContin
Have You Sustained Personal Injuries from Medications, Pharmaceuticals, or Chemical Exposure?
OxyContin
OxyContin is in a class of drugs called narcotic analgesics. It is a pain reliever used to treat moderate-to-severe pain. In 2004 the FDA has strengthened the warnings and precautions sections in the labeling of OxyContin (oxycodone HCl controlled-release) Tablets citing recent reports of OxyContin diversion and abuse in several states. Some of these reported cases have been associated with serious consequences including death.
Oxycontin (generic name: oxycodone HCl controlled-release), which is linked to physical dependence and addiction, contains a narcotic similar to morphine and has been prescribed to treat pain in cases of arthritis, back pain, and cancer.
OxyContin was first introduced in December 1995 and belongs to the drug class known as opioid agonists and is categorized as a Schedule II controlled substance. The active ingredient in OxyContin is oxycodone, a substance found in many different pain medications. However, most other pain medications contain small amounts of oxycodone; OxyContin is a time-release formula that contains a significantly greater amount of oxycodone. Oxycontin is both one of the best selling prescription medications and one of the most abused drugs in history.
OxyContin is indicated for the management of moderate to severe pain; it is commonly prescribed to treat arthritis, back pain, cancer, and other types of painful conditions. A disturbing amount of reports have surfaced detailing widespread addiction to the drug from patients that were prescribed the drug as well as people obtaining the drug through illegal channels. Oxycontin has been linked to over a hundred deaths and its high and addiction has been compared to those of heroin.
The devastation associated with this drug includes armed robberies, criminal indictments of doctors, individual and state lawsuits against Purdue Pharma, and concern from the DEA and FDA. The DEA has asked Purdue Pharma to change its strategy regarding Oxycontin. These suggestions included: marketing OxyContin only to pain specialists, omit its claim that OxyContin is less subject to abuse than other narcotics, and to reformulate the drug.
On July 25, 2001, at the urging of the FDA, Purdue Pharma added new warnings to Oxycontin. OxyContin will bear the FDA?s strongest type of warning ? a black box calling OxyContin as potentially addictive as morphine. Purdue Pharma sent out letters to doctors asking them to only prescribe Oxycontin for severe pain. However, Purdue Pharma still asserts that there is no problem with Oxycontin.
On August 9, 2001, Purdue Pharma announced that it is working on patent application for a new formula of the opiate-based drug Oxycontin, hoping to make it less susceptible to abuse and addiction. In the meantime, the number crime and death attributed to Oxycontin continue to rise.
OxyContin Questions & Answers
OxyContin Abuse and Diversion and Efforts to Address the Problem
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