The Problem Of Pain Management

Opioids are a class of drugs used to help an individual’s pain perception. They include prescriptive and nonprescriptive medications: morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and fentanyl. Heroin is also an opioid, but it is a classified Schedule 1 illegal drug.

Typically, the drug would be prescribed after a major surgery, or traumatic event. When Oxycontin was originally designed, the makers intended for the outer shell to release medicine over time. The time release formula ensured users pain relief for hours on end; eliminating the need to be popping pills every few hours.

In "Dopesick" by Beth Macy, the main argument is that the opioid crisis in the United States is the result of the FDA failing to properly regulate the pharmaceutical industry and its extremely aggressive marketing practices. Macy's narrative highlights how the deceptive marketing tactics of companies like Purdue Pharma misled medical professionals and the public about the safety and effectiveness of opioids, leading to widespread addiction and devastating consequences. Furthermore, outside research supports Macy's claim that the opioid crisis was not solely individual weakness but is rooted in broader systemic issues. Recent studies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) support Macy’s argument by revealing the correlation between

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

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

After nearly 15 years on the market, the feds finally put a little pressure on Purdue and as a result they rolled out a new formulation of the drug that made it virtually impossible to snort, inject, or smoke the pill. So abuse of oxycontin declined drastically and even though there were still many other highly addictive opiates on the market including drugs with the same active ingredient, prescription drug overdoses decreased by 20% over the next two years. Awesome right? But there's a catch. Heroin overdoses increased by 23% in those same two years (2010-2012). When the old formulation of oxycontin was taken off the market opiate pills became harder to find on the black market and street prices skyrocketed. So the oxycontin addict was forced to make a decision: either pay the premium price, get help, face excruciating withdrawals and temporarily lose all functionality as a member of society, or turn to the less expensive, more potent, and readily available option which was heroin. Sadly, many addicts choose the latter option. Now, since there is no way for the addict to truly to know how much narcotic they are ingesting when using heroin, cases like this one happen every

These big drug companies like Purdue Pharma, started out with their marketing campaign that said that OxyContin was a good drug even for minor pain, promising that it was not addictive. This type of misinformation started the pro-opioid movement that quickly swept the nation. Purdue Pharma’s multimillion dollar campaign that convinced the masses that opioids were good for Chronic pain, and non-malignant pain conditions, should be treated with Opioids. It was

Individuals who use Opioids are Addicts. The history of this very debatable topic is very educational and

that the increase in production of OPR has closely paralleled the increase in overdose rates.

Following the guidelines by policymakers and the CDC to limit prescription of opioid medications, there have been numerous instances that highlight the pharmaceutical industry’s role in propagating initiatives that are contrary to these guidelines hence thwarting the fight against opioid abuse (Bement et al., 2014). The opioid pharmaceutical market is worth about $ 10 billion in sales annually which explains why the pharmaceutical industry would be reluctant in joining the fight against opioid abuse. The pharmaceutical industry perceives the fight against opioid use as a setback. As a result, the industry is constantly looking for measures to earn more profits by aggressively expanding the market for more drugs that are related to opioid use such that the answer to opioid addiction is to use more pills. The pharmaceutical industry is aggressively manufacturing alternative drugs to treat the side-effects of opioid use like constipation. Historically, the pharmaceutical industry has been accused of providing misleading information concerning the addictive features of some opioid medications which further frustrates the initiatives to stop opioid abuse since the addiction levels will be high for

Chronic pain is a tremendous public health problem, and a costly one. As health care advances and the need for palliative care rises, patients and health care providers are constantly investigating alternative methods of pain treatment and management. Questioning and challenging traditional health policies and practices has created an interest in the use of cannabis as an alternative option to standard opioids, for the management of chronic pain. Cannabis, or marijuana, is a leafy green plant consisting of buds and leaves of the cannabis sativa forma indica plants. Marijuana has been used in holistic solutions for hundreds of years; it has also been especially prevalent among terminally ill cancer patients, who have been reported using it to alleviate symptoms like chronic pain, nausea and depression.

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

Chronic pain is a tremendous public health problem, and a costly one. As health care advances and the need for palliative care rises, patients and health care providers are constantly investigating alternative methods of pain treatment and management. Questioning and challenging traditional health policies and practices has created a curiosity in the use of cannabis as an alternative option to standard opioids, for the management of chronic pain. Cannabis, is a leafy green plant consisting of buds and leaves of the cannabis sativa forma indica plants. Marijuana has been used in holistic solutions for hundreds of years; it has also been especially prevalent among terminally ill patients, who have been reported using it to alleviate symptoms like chronic pain, nausea and depression.

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