Grieving Parents Ask Why OxyContin Still So Easy To Abuse
EmailBarbara Van Rooyan’s 24-year-old son Patrick died after ingesting OxyContin at a party. Today she is testifying before members of Congress asking why the drug still hasn’t been reformulated to be more resistant to abuse. Introduced almost 10 years ago, OxyContin quickly became a godsend for people suffering from persistent pain. But on the streets, people also learned that by chewing or snorting it, they could get a quick and powerful high. Over five years ago, following reports of growing abuse and illicit use of OxyContin, its manufacturer Purdue Pharma said they were working to reformulate the product to make it more tamper-proof to reduce abuse. So far, however, they have not released a new formulation. A spokesman for Purdue Pharma, which made $1.2 billion last year in OxyContin sales, said that developing a tamper-resistant version of OxyContin and other painkillers still remains "one of the top research priorities" for the company. He wouldn’t disclose the timing of development for competitive reasons, though he said it often takes 10 to 12 years for a drug to go from a research phase through human clinical trials. Meanwhile, the abuse continues. High rates of non-medical use of OxyContin and other painkillers have been found among 8th, 10th and 12th graders, according to a recent survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Now outside companies are working on developing an abuse-resistant version of OxyContin, which could mean a goldmine in sales. "The development of abuse-resistant drugs represents a new and efficient means of addressing prescription drug abuse, without further restricting or discouraging access for patients who need such care," said Remi Barbier, President of Pain Therapeutics, whose Oxytrex is in the late stages of human clinical trials. Though the final FDA approval could take a few more years. The increasing abuse of painkillers such as OxyContin, will be just one of the topics in a hearing on prescription drug abuse today on Capitol Hill before the subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources.
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IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH DRUGS AS OCYCONTIN AND OXYCODONE, ETC. USUALLY PERSONS THAT HAVE THESE TYPES OF MEDICINES HAVE SEVERE PAIN SUCH AS CANCER AND IF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE USING THOSE MEDICINES I’M SURE PARENTS WOULD ADMINISTER THEM. IF PEOPLE WANT TO GET HIGH IT WILL HAPPEN AND IT’S NOT THE FAULT OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. IT’S THE LACK OF EDUCATION ABOUT DRUGS AND LACK OF SUPERVISION BY PARENTS OR KIDS WITH PROBLEMS THAT HAVE THEM USING WHATEVER TO ESCAPE THEIR PROBLEMS.
Posted by: Cheryl J. | July 27, 2006, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm
Why are we always blaming the drug companies for the death of people who abuse their products? They did their job by providing medicine needed for those who are sick and/or in pain. Let’s start laying the blame on those who abuse the products. I’m sorry for families who have lost loved ones to drug use, but we need to put the blame where it belongs. There is drug use in my family too, but I don’t blame the drug company because a loved one is abusing their product. That’s a big part of drug abuse – not taking responsibility for ones actions. For the people who need and are prescribed Oxy I say thank God for the medicine! To the families of drug addicts I say, I’m sorry but we all knew it was just a matter of time…
Posted by: Raynell Caliguire | July 27, 2006, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
I agree with the general feeling here. The blame should not be on the drug companies. The only people at fault in these cases are those that make the stupid decisions to use abuse drugs.
While it must be awful for the parents, maybe they should have spent more time educating their children on the dangers of drug abuse and spent more time supervising their activities.
Posted by: Brian | July 27, 2006, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
Article is nothing but fluff. What the hell makes up an abuse-resistant painkiller, anyway? Thanks for the eight paragraphs of nothing.
Posted by: technococcus | July 27, 2006, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Is this the same drug that Rush Limbaugh used to get his “rush”?
Posted by: Taylor | July 27, 2006, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
“Purdue Pharma said they were working to reformulate the product to make it more tamper-proof to reduce abuse. So far, however, they have not released a new formulation.”
hahhha thats hilarious. if so many people are abusing OxyContin, the pharm. company’s sales must be through the ROOF! no wonder they havent made it “tamper proof.”
Posted by: Bily G | July 27, 2006, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
It is a shame that doctors are hesitant to prescribe a needed medication because fools are abusing it. If kids start snorting drano are they going to try and ban that.
Posted by: steve | July 27, 2006, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
A young persons death is a sad thing. I feel sorry for the grieving mother, but, come on, it’s just too cheap and easy to blame the drug company. The 24 year old son, old enough to take responsibility for his actions, had an addiction problem and could have just as well overdosed on a street drug.
Another journalist fluff piece from ABC.
Posted by: penny | July 27, 2006, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Oh come on….let’s get real we can’t keep on blaming everybody else for our choices. it is plane and simple if we use and abuse drugs (Dr. prescribed too) we will end up in jails,institutions end up as derilects or die.It is not the parents fault or drug companies.Bless all the families they are the victims!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Gina B. | July 29, 2006, 1:32 am 1:32 am
I am in Chronic Pain everyday of my life and I take Oxycontin for my pain. I am really tired of people not taking responsibiliy for their own actions. People now days think that everytime someone dies they should sue someone. If the judges in this country would start throwing the lawsuits out of court and take care of real suits this country would be better off. When people steal or buy the Oxycontin on the street the drug companies have no control over that. In this case the son was 24 years old he was an adult and was responsible for his own life, why should his parents have the right to sue? Take responsibility for your actions and quit blaming everyone else. You know what is right and wrong.
Posted by: Karen J. | November 9, 2006, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
I know it’s a year late however the same problem exists today, only worse. As the pressures of life increase so does substance abuse and the need to escape reality by getting high. Oxycontin has saved mine and many others life and I,m sorry for the ones who died but Purdue is not to blame. A society of pleasure seeking void of morals cannot continue. Eventually you will reap what you sow.
Posted by: Don L | October 7, 2007, 8:36 am 8:36 am
I was addicted to oxy contin for nearly 2 years and I finally seeked help and I am now clean. I’m telling you that OxyContin is the wrong drug to mess around with. Not only was I killing myself but I was also killing my family day by day. I feel for the families of addicts, and I also feel for the addicts themselves, I kno how hard it is to get off this drug. But im telling you from personal experience that it really is possible. If you are an addict reading this, please go talk to your doctor and ask him about Suboxone. This medicine saved my life.
Posted by: Austin | December 22, 2007, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
i honestly think that it is not the manufactures faul, but the dumb teenager abusing the drug. there are plenty of prescription drugs out there that CAN KILL YOU. dont balme oxycontin blame your kid. if you son-daughter takes too much tylenol they can die also, or maybe too much vicodin, or too much antibiotics, or benican. There are soo many drugs that can kill, but the media manily focuses on oxycontin. You need a reality check, dont blame the drug , blam the unresbonsale.
Posted by: jason | February 11, 2008, 4:43 am 4:43 am
It is so easy for these kids to get these drugs because the parents are not supervising them, they let them run the streets like a bunch of hoodlums and let them go to parties at the ages of 15 and 16 knowing there are going to be drugs and underaged drinking.
Posted by: Kelli | April 17, 2008, 10:08 am 10:08 am
steve,
the majority of doctors out there are no hesitant at all to prescribe drugs that are easily abused. this is part of the problem. too many doctors hand out scripts like they’re candy. don’t get me wrong, im not solely blaming the doctors. just as it was said, if someone wants to get high, they’re going to get high and it’s their decision. however pharm. companies do contribute to the problem. the bottom line is people love money and drugs make them money. they are going to continue to manufacture all types of drugs because people are getting rich off them. all that talk about research for “tamper-proof” medication is all BS just to keep people like this young woman’s mother from throwing a hissy fit and pursuing the company even further. again, its all about money
Posted by: stephen | September 5, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
ITS ALL THE PARENTS FAULT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY IS THIS MOTHER COMPLAINING THAT’S WHY SHE SHOULD BE MORE AWARE OF WHAT HER SON WAS DOING
Posted by: gina | January 14, 2009, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
Well i guess purdue crushed up that pill and shoved all that powder up that kids nose and killed him…..you OD, your fault, 24 years old? wow should have known better and let me guess…..the parents say this was his first time……right and…….i’ll quit tommorow
Posted by: Hmmmm | October 7, 2009, 9:05 am 9:05 am
you know that if they do come upwith a drug that is harder to abuse people will die in larger numbers because if the are taking itto get a high they will just take alot of the newly designed drug all at once to try and get the same affect and the high will be longer for them if aperson wants to abuse a drug perscription or illicit they will figure out a way ro do it
Posted by: benjamin | December 23, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am