Purdue Pharma introduced the painkiller Oxycontin into the U.S. market in 1995. It was marketed as a better way to control chronic, debilitating pain, since its time-release component enabled it to be administered in larger dosages to eliminate pain for a longer period of time than other painkillers. Patients in chronic pain could sleep through the night without being roused from sleep by the necessity of taking more medication. However, the very element that gave Oxycontin its utility to the suffering made it prime for abuse: each tablet contains proportionately greater amounts of painkilling component than do other similar drugs. For example, Percocet contains a maximum of 10 milligrams of oxycodone per tablet at most; Purdue offers Oxycontin in 40 milligram and 80 milligram tablets.

The company aggressively marketed Oxycontin as a wonderful, new way to control pain, since its time-release component enabled it to be administered in larger dosages to eliminate pain for a longer period of time than could other painkillers on the market. However, the time-release mechanism governing release of the tablet's opiod component is foiled easily by crushing the tablet. The powder inside can then be inhaled or injected into the skin, producing a "high" which, in its wake, leaves the user craving more Oxycontin. Overdose can result in death, via respiratory system depression.

Oxycontin is highly addictive -- as addictive as heroin -- a feature that was downplayed by Purdue Pharma in its marketing campaign. Many patients on Oxycontin come to need more and more of the drug to alleviate their pain and to satisfy an ever increasing desire. Many end up chasing the drug until their lives are in shambles and they are forced into detox, divorced, bankrupt or incarcerated.

On the other hand, Purdue Pharma is doing well. Oxycontin sales eclipsed $1.2 billion in 2000. Prescriptions for Oxycontin almost doubled from 1999
to 2000; almost six million prescriptions were written last year. Purdue held over 7,000 "pain management" seminars around the nation last year, recruiting doctors to speak to other medical professionals, stressing aggressive pain management utilizing potent drugs such as Oxycontin. Purdue also contributed financially to pharmacy schools and Internet sites directed at consumers. Purdue's wide-aiming marketing campaign inevitably reached physicians inexperienced at prescribing powerful painkillers, and therefore prone to overprescribing or prescribing Oxycontin when a less-powerful substitute could be utilized. Purdue's aggressive marketing of a dangerously addictive drug has resulted in thousands of addictions and hundreds of deaths.

In April 2002, the DEA issued a statement saying that an expanded review of autopsy data from the last two years has revealed that Oxycontin may have played a part in 464 overdose deaths. In a previous report, issued in October, the DEA's highest estimate was 282 people.

If your or a familiy member has suffered an injury as a result of Oxycontin, we can help. Call Mark A Hunt & Associates today to make an appointment.