Full Version: Kentucky Officials Sue Makers Of Oxycontin
Here's the story:
Link
I can remember when OxyContin (the extended-release form of oxycodone) first came out. It quickly became an extremely popular medication, due to a couple of factors. First, its extended-release properties meant that it could be used only twice a day, instead of several times a day. Secondly, unlike many other products containing powerful narcotics, it did not contain other ingredients. (Unlike, for example, Percocet, which combines oxycodone with acetaminophen.) The lack of these other ingredients avoided the problems associated with their use. (For example, long-term or excessive use of any product containing acetaminophen could cause liver problems.)
Unfortunately, OxyContin is prone to being used inappropriately. Although it is intended for chronic severe pain, I have seen it used for acute severe pain. Although it is intended to be given on schedule, to prevent pain, I have seen it used on an "as needed" basis to treat pain, which makes no sense at all for an extended-release product. (The same properties which make it last a long time also mean that it is slow to get started.) More importantly, it has been used as a drug of abuse. Because it contains no other active ingredients, it is easy to crush the OxyContin tablet and inject it to get a sudden rush of a large dose of oxycodone. (One could not do the same with Percocet, for example, due to the acetaminophen it contains.) Such abuse often leads to death.
My experience as a pharmacist has been that OxyContin has caused at least as many problems as it has solved. It has also been my experience that OxyContin is a gold mine for Purdue Pharma.
To be debated:
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
Link
QUOTE
Kentucky officials on Thursday sued the manufacturer of OxyContin, the prescription painkiller dubbed "hillbilly heroin," because of widespread abuse in Appalachia.
A lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Pike County officials demands millions in compensation from drug maker Purdue Pharma.
"Make no mistake about it -- this is war," said Gary C. Johnson, the county's outside counsel who is handling the case.
. . .
In a statement, Purdue Pharma officials said OxyContin's packaging warns against the dangers of abusing the drug and that the company shouldn't be held responsible for what individuals do.
"We will defend this lawsuit vigorously and we expect to prevail," the statement said.
A lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Pike County officials demands millions in compensation from drug maker Purdue Pharma.
"Make no mistake about it -- this is war," said Gary C. Johnson, the county's outside counsel who is handling the case.
. . .
In a statement, Purdue Pharma officials said OxyContin's packaging warns against the dangers of abusing the drug and that the company shouldn't be held responsible for what individuals do.
"We will defend this lawsuit vigorously and we expect to prevail," the statement said.
I can remember when OxyContin (the extended-release form of oxycodone) first came out. It quickly became an extremely popular medication, due to a couple of factors. First, its extended-release properties meant that it could be used only twice a day, instead of several times a day. Secondly, unlike many other products containing powerful narcotics, it did not contain other ingredients. (Unlike, for example, Percocet, which combines oxycodone with acetaminophen.) The lack of these other ingredients avoided the problems associated with their use. (For example, long-term or excessive use of any product containing acetaminophen could cause liver problems.)
Unfortunately, OxyContin is prone to being used inappropriately. Although it is intended for chronic severe pain, I have seen it used for acute severe pain. Although it is intended to be given on schedule, to prevent pain, I have seen it used on an "as needed" basis to treat pain, which makes no sense at all for an extended-release product. (The same properties which make it last a long time also mean that it is slow to get started.) More importantly, it has been used as a drug of abuse. Because it contains no other active ingredients, it is easy to crush the OxyContin tablet and inject it to get a sudden rush of a large dose of oxycodone. (One could not do the same with Percocet, for example, due to the acetaminophen it contains.) Such abuse often leads to death.
My experience as a pharmacist has been that OxyContin has caused at least as many problems as it has solved. It has also been my experience that OxyContin is a gold mine for Purdue Pharma.
To be debated:
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
No. Farbeit for me to defend drug companies, but if the consumer is warned, and even forbid from obtaining this drug without a prescription beforehand, how can the company be held legally liable for misuse? I don't think that it (ethically) can be. Now, if the drug company is buying off doctors to make those prescriptions, and that were proven, yes, absolutely. Otherwise, no.
Small list of discoveries/inventions that wouldn’t have ‘made it’ in the current age of lawsuits:
1) Fire
2) Electricity
3) Cars
4) Pools
5) Rope
6) Knives (obviously...also likely forks, especially pitchforks)
7) Guns (see above)
Ad nauseum ect….
Small list of discoveries/inventions that wouldn’t have ‘made it’ in the current age of lawsuits:
1) Fire
2) Electricity
3) Cars
4) Pools
5) Rope
6) Knives (obviously...also likely forks, especially pitchforks)
7) Guns (see above)
Ad nauseum ect….
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
Oxycontin fills a need-- a powerful painkiller that lasts for a long time. As a pharmacist, Victoria has done a nice job explaining its intended use.
That said, it is also an easily abused and highly addictive drug as are most of the drugs used for similar applications.
The distribution of narcotic drugs like Oxycontin is rigidly controlled, but again subject to abuse. Doctors can give out bogus prescriptions, pharmacists can fail their due diligence in dispensing (although this I believe is closely watched by the Feds).
What is Purdue Pharma's role? Is it issuing bogus prescriptions? Is it improperly dispensing Oxycontin? Is it marketing the drug for inappropriate uses? Does it fail to properly warn users of addiction or health risks?
Every drug made has side effects and possible hazards, including addiction. The user of the drug and especially their doctors must be aware of the possible risks of using any particular drug. Only if the manufacturer fails to disclose important counterindications should they be held liable for the improper use of the drug. Purdue Pharma has paid fines because of misleading statements dealing with addiction and abuse, but this does not rise to the level of erroneous information or coverup.
No, Purdue Pharma should not be liable in this case which is suing for expanding the jails in Kentucky among other things. That is a bit over the top.
Oxycontin fills a need-- a powerful painkiller that lasts for a long time. As a pharmacist, Victoria has done a nice job explaining its intended use.
That said, it is also an easily abused and highly addictive drug as are most of the drugs used for similar applications.
The distribution of narcotic drugs like Oxycontin is rigidly controlled, but again subject to abuse. Doctors can give out bogus prescriptions, pharmacists can fail their due diligence in dispensing (although this I believe is closely watched by the Feds).
What is Purdue Pharma's role? Is it issuing bogus prescriptions? Is it improperly dispensing Oxycontin? Is it marketing the drug for inappropriate uses? Does it fail to properly warn users of addiction or health risks?
Every drug made has side effects and possible hazards, including addiction. The user of the drug and especially their doctors must be aware of the possible risks of using any particular drug. Only if the manufacturer fails to disclose important counterindications should they be held liable for the improper use of the drug. Purdue Pharma has paid fines because of misleading statements dealing with addiction and abuse, but this does not rise to the level of erroneous information or coverup.
No, Purdue Pharma should not be liable in this case which is suing for expanding the jails in Kentucky among other things. That is a bit over the top.
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
Should Sherwin Williams be held liable for the thousands that huff paint? Should farm CO-OPs be held liable for meth users since anhydrous is a major ingredient in meth? I don't see how suing the pharmacutical company is going to help solve any issues that are at hand.
Should Sherwin Williams be held liable for the thousands that huff paint? Should farm CO-OPs be held liable for meth users since anhydrous is a major ingredient in meth? I don't see how suing the pharmacutical company is going to help solve any issues that are at hand.
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
No. This isn't really an across the board principle - clearly different drugs and different effects need to be treated differently; nobody sane would argue that thalidomide or a similar teratogenic drug, whose side effects were not picked up because - say - the testing process was fudged or forged, was not the responsibility of the drugs company.
But, in this case, the drug itself is reasonably safe to use within it's designed uses. It is (as has been pointed out) for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain. If doctors are prescribing it for use in mild to moderate acute pain, then it is being mis-prescribed, and the doctors are the ones who should face lawsuits.
And if it is being obtained and used illegally, then caveat emptor. Bring a lawsuit against the drug dealer if you can, but don't be too surprised if you wake up with the fishes.
No. This isn't really an across the board principle - clearly different drugs and different effects need to be treated differently; nobody sane would argue that thalidomide or a similar teratogenic drug, whose side effects were not picked up because - say - the testing process was fudged or forged, was not the responsibility of the drugs company.
But, in this case, the drug itself is reasonably safe to use within it's designed uses. It is (as has been pointed out) for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain. If doctors are prescribing it for use in mild to moderate acute pain, then it is being mis-prescribed, and the doctors are the ones who should face lawsuits.
And if it is being obtained and used illegally, then caveat emptor. Bring a lawsuit against the drug dealer if you can, but don't be too surprised if you wake up with the fishes.
as a burn patient that used oxycontin for some time to prevent otherwise crippling pain during my physical therapy, i believe the benefits of oxycontin far outweigh any possible bad outcomes. I think that if people misuse it, it's their fault, but taking the drug off the market would ensure that poeple like me in the future will not take their pysio, and end up in extreme states of inability and pain. i know the raod. i've been down it. i could've been a lot worse, so let's keep it the way it is. illegal or not there were days when without the oxy in the burn uint, the pain would have killed me, too much for my system to handle and it would simply shut down, espcially do to my younger age.
QUOTE(Victoria Silverwolf @ Oct 5 2007, 01:04 AM) 
Here's the story:
Link
I can remember when OxyContin (the extended-release form of oxycodone) first came out. It quickly became an extremely popular medication, due to a couple of factors. First, its extended-release properties meant that it could be used only twice a day, instead of several times a day. Secondly, unlike many other products containing powerful narcotics, it did not contain other ingredients. (Unlike, for example, Percocet, which combines oxycodone with acetaminophen.) The lack of these other ingredients avoided the problems associated with their use. (For example, long-term or excessive use of any product containing acetaminophen could cause liver problems.)
Unfortunately, OxyContin is prone to being used inappropriately. Although it is intended for chronic severe pain, I have seen it used for acute severe pain. Although it is intended to be given on schedule, to prevent pain, I have seen it used on an "as needed" basis to treat pain, which makes no sense at all for an extended-release product. (The same properties which make it last a long time also mean that it is slow to get started.) More importantly, it has been used as a drug of abuse. Because it contains no other active ingredients, it is easy to crush the OxyContin tablet and inject it to get a sudden rush of a large dose of oxycodone. (One could not do the same with Percocet, for example, due to the acetaminophen it contains.) Such abuse often leads to death.
My experience as a pharmacist has been that OxyContin has caused at least as many problems as it has solved. It has also been my experience that OxyContin is a gold mine for Purdue Pharma.
To be debated:
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
Link
QUOTE
Kentucky officials on Thursday sued the manufacturer of OxyContin, the prescription painkiller dubbed "hillbilly heroin," because of widespread abuse in Appalachia.
A lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Pike County officials demands millions in compensation from drug maker Purdue Pharma.
"Make no mistake about it -- this is war," said Gary C. Johnson, the county's outside counsel who is handling the case.
. . .
In a statement, Purdue Pharma officials said OxyContin's packaging warns against the dangers of abusing the drug and that the company shouldn't be held responsible for what individuals do.
"We will defend this lawsuit vigorously and we expect to prevail," the statement said.
A lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Pike County officials demands millions in compensation from drug maker Purdue Pharma.
"Make no mistake about it -- this is war," said Gary C. Johnson, the county's outside counsel who is handling the case.
. . .
In a statement, Purdue Pharma officials said OxyContin's packaging warns against the dangers of abusing the drug and that the company shouldn't be held responsible for what individuals do.
"We will defend this lawsuit vigorously and we expect to prevail," the statement said.
I can remember when OxyContin (the extended-release form of oxycodone) first came out. It quickly became an extremely popular medication, due to a couple of factors. First, its extended-release properties meant that it could be used only twice a day, instead of several times a day. Secondly, unlike many other products containing powerful narcotics, it did not contain other ingredients. (Unlike, for example, Percocet, which combines oxycodone with acetaminophen.) The lack of these other ingredients avoided the problems associated with their use. (For example, long-term or excessive use of any product containing acetaminophen could cause liver problems.)
Unfortunately, OxyContin is prone to being used inappropriately. Although it is intended for chronic severe pain, I have seen it used for acute severe pain. Although it is intended to be given on schedule, to prevent pain, I have seen it used on an "as needed" basis to treat pain, which makes no sense at all for an extended-release product. (The same properties which make it last a long time also mean that it is slow to get started.) More importantly, it has been used as a drug of abuse. Because it contains no other active ingredients, it is easy to crush the OxyContin tablet and inject it to get a sudden rush of a large dose of oxycodone. (One could not do the same with Percocet, for example, due to the acetaminophen it contains.) Such abuse often leads to death.
My experience as a pharmacist has been that OxyContin has caused at least as many problems as it has solved. It has also been my experience that OxyContin is a gold mine for Purdue Pharma.
To be debated:
Should the makers of OxyContin be held legally responsible for the harm caused by its misuse and abuse?
I have to ask this though- because this happens so frequently now- did they or do they have research showing it's penchant for abuse, and did they market that issue as effectively as the pain remedy parts?
In other words- did they minimize or hide the bad, while trumping up the good?
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