Purdue Pharmacy Is Responsible For Producing Oxycontin

Over the past two decades, pharmaceutical companies have quietly invaded American’s homes by introducing new miracle drugs such as OxyContin into their daily lives. Purdue Pharmaceuticals introduced OxyContin saying it was a miracle cure for pain that would last twelve hours. However, “even when doctors began reporting that patients were complaining

In 2015, the pharmaceutical industry spent over 27 billion dollars on advertising. The two greatest components of this effort were promotional advertising and free medication sampling, which the pharmaceuticals invested 15.5 and 5.7 billion dollars respectively (“Persuading the Prescribers”). Promotional advertising involves direct contact with health professionals, the most common being extravagant lunch conferences held for physicians and their staff. On the other hand, sampling involves distributing free sample of medications to physicians, who then have a choice of providing these samples to patients. As a result of these methods, the industry has seen revenue around $400 billion with 90% of physicians having a relationship with a drug company (Campbell 2007). Moreover, the prices of prescriptions continue to rise; a copay of a generic drug is $11.72, preferred brand drug is $36.37 and a specialty drug is $58.37 (Coleman and Geneson 2014). Although the profits are immense in the numbers demonstrated above, it is no surprise when pharmaceutical drug companies elevate their prices even more. For instance, recently Turing Pharmaceuticals raised the price of their medication Daraprim from $13.50 to $750. Keep in mind, this medication is used for threatening parasitic infections, aids, and cancer with alternative options currently found to be inefficient (Pollack 2015). Another example of this practice involves cycloserine, a drug used to

In the early 1990’s many doctors were hesitant in prescribing narcotics because they were seen as harmful and habit forming. Purdue Pharma the creator of OxyContin changed the ways of the drug industry. Purdue changed the mindset of many physicians and family doctors inconveniencing them that the new to the market drug was revolutionary, with promises of quick pain relief that last up to 12 hours. With marketing adds like “Remember, effective relief just takes two” Purdue Pharma convinced doctors that it was virtually impossible to become addicted (HARRIET RYAN, 2016). The rise of OxyContin started in 1996. OxyContin

On November 21, 2013, Theanna Khou pleaded guilty to dispensing and selling OxyContin from his Huntington Pharmacy without medical necessity from fraudulent prescriptions issued by a clinic (" Health care fraud investigations," 2014). Khou billed Medicare for filling prescriptions that patients never received. This story is becoming a norm for the health care industry, because the growing financial prosperity of the health industry. Corruption and crime is changing, turning from drug dealing to a safer haven that has less legal management, organization, and more wherewithal the business of health care fraud.

Many people have developed an addiction due to an injury and which were prescribed painkillers to manage and treat the pain. Prolonged use leads to dependence and once a person is addicted, increasing amounts of drugs are required to prevent feeling of withdrawal. Addiction to painkillers often leads to harder drugs such as heroin due to the black market drug being cheaper. Prescription drugs remain a far deadlier problem and more people abuse prescription medication than cocaine, methamphetamine heroin, MDMA and PCP combined. Drug abuse is ending too many lives too soon and destroying families and communities.

To understand how fentanyl has become so prevalent recently, we must look back at the cause of this opioid epidemic. Opioids were once a niche drug, but in the mid 90s OxyContin was released by the manufacturer, Purdue Pharma LP. Purdue advertised this drug to doctors by saying that the risk of addiction from opioids was overstated and that OxyContin

The twenty-first century has seen pharmaceutical companies grow in unprecedented size and strength. Due to the unprecedented growth the larger pharmaceutical companies have gained leverage and power in the prescription drug industry, but they lack innovation to market and they seek ways to help the business continue to increase its profits. The pharmaceutical industry was once ethically sound and was a valuable player in the development of human health. However, overtime with the lack of innovation pharmaceutical companies are becoming an unethical market that exploits patients, doctors and anyone else it can to increase its profitability. With eyes only on profitability this can create a hazard for patients because there

The documentary points to a company called Pharma Purdue, which seemed to have caused a momentum in drug addictions and deaths, after releasing a drug called Oxycontin (Oxycodone). Originally it was pushed as a pain medication, supposedly not as addictive as other pain medications. "Oxycontin was not really a new drug. The molecule has been around since 1916. What they did is, they took this old extinct drug, and they introduced a time release mechanism into it so that it would be significantly less addictive because it wouldn 't be released upfront, all at once. That’s how they pitched it to the FDA" (Katherine Eban, Fortune).

OxyContin is a controlled drug containing oxycodone, the active ingredient responsible for eliminating the pain associated with: injuries, bursitis, dislocation, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain, and pain associated with cancer. When taken according to the proper dosage, the oxycodone runs on a perfectly timed release in the body’s system in order to manage the pain. This narcotic, when abused, produces heroin like effects and can enable the user to develop a tolerance, forcing an increase in dosage per intake in order to achieve the desired effects. Though OxyContin is

To ease this pain researchers associated with Purdue Pharma created Oxycontin to help patients with chronic and unbearable pain resulting from accidents, cancer or old age. In every year since it was released, the number of prescriptions prescribed to patients has increased by several hundred percent. Oxycontin is a trade controlled release form of Oxycodone that is prescribed to treat chronic pain. When used properly, Oxycontin can provide pain relief for up to twelve hours. The drug enters the body and stimulates certain opoid receptors that are located

The drug epidemic in America is a growing problem and continuing to take hundreds of lives everyday, particularly opioids. These highly addictive drugs are taking the world by storm and claiming thousands of life with no remorse. The pharmaceutical industry is making millions off the addiction and pain of the American people causing a widespread of drug overdoses and deaths all across the United States. According to The New York Times, “Public Health officials have called the current opioid epidemic the worst drug crisis in American history, killing more than 33,00 people in 2015.” (Scott Morgan) Addiction, money, and the vulnerability all play a part in the opioid widespread epidemic.

Despite common knowledge that with extended use, opioids result in tolerance and addiction; the healthcare community quickly adopted the practice. At the same time, patient advocacy and pain management groups lobbied to loosen opioid prescribing restrictions (Manchikanti et al.). Concurrently, an initiative to identify pain as “the 5th vital sign” immerged to stronger prioritize pain management (Alexander, Kruszewski, & Webster, 2012). Spurred initially by an American pain organization, later found to be funded by the pharmaceutical manufacturer of OxyContin, this initiative was also quickly adopted by the medical community, and other medical and government organizations. Medical practitioners became the target for big pharma’s marketing strategies to further their profits, and they fell prey. Opioid medications are now commonplace in medicine cabinets across the U.S., benefiting the pharmaceutical companies to the tune of 10 billion dollars

The Pharmaceutical industry has been in the spotlight for decades due to the fact that they have a reputation for being unethical in its marketing strategies. In The Washington Post Shannon Brownlee (2008) states, “We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits. The profits follow.” This honorable statement is completely lost in today’s world of pharmaceutical marketing tactics. These tactics are often deceptive and biased. Big Pharma consistently forgets their moral purpose and focuses primarily on the almighty dollar. Big Pharma is working on restoring their reputation by reforming their ethical code of conduct.

There are three types of prescribed abused drugs: opioids, depressants, and stimulants. The most powerful is opioids. Opioids are used to block out pain. Some of these include opanas, oxycontin, and roxicodone, and 5.1 million Americans abuse them regularly (Drugabuse.gov). Some of those pills can cost any where from five dollars a pill all the way up to ninety dollars a pill (Drugs a-z) and could even cost more than that depending on where you live. Some of the street names can be roxy, o.p.s, oxy, and captain coden(Drug abuse.gov). ´“At the age of 20, I became an addict to a narcotic,which began with a prescription following a surgery.¨´-James. People normally become addicted to painkillers because of doctor giving them prescriptions after a major surgery.

Oxycodone, often sold as OxyContin, is an opiate drug that come is an opioid that comes from the poppy plant. Sometimes, Oxycodone will be combined with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to increase the effective and potency of the drug. In all of its forms, Oxycodone changes the way the central nervous system responds to pain by creating a euphoric and sedative effect. This time-released painkiller meant for patients who need of moderate to severe pain relief after surgery or a major