Purdue Pharma is a successful pharmaceutical company, but recently, there has been suspicion that it may not have achieved its success in the most ethical of ways. The company is best known for its production of the prescription painkiller OxyContin, which also happens to be one of the most commonly abused prescription drugs on the market today. Purdue Pharma makes no bones about the fact that it profits greatly from the sale of this oft-used drug; in fact, since the introduction of OxyContin in 1996, Pharma Purdue has made more than $27 billion from it.
What the company is secretive about, however, is the source of all of this money. Certainly, the majority of the sales of OxyContin have been legitimate – doctors prescribing the medication to patients who truly need it. The company, however, has recently identified close to 2,000 doctors who have allegedly prescribed OxyContin without adequate reason. Its identification of these doctors, however, has been handled privately and not much is being done about it. Many suspect that this is because Purdue Pharma doesn’t want to lose one of its major sources of income.
Other Alternatives
Because OxyContin carries with it a high risk of addiction and because the company that produces it is obviously not too concerned about this fact, efforts should be made to avoid using the drug. Obviously, it should never be used recreationally; the same is true for any painkiller.
Even if a doctor recommends the medication, however, the patient should be aware that there are other alternatives and should consider these alternatives before just blindly taking OxyContin. If you have a loved one who suffers from chronic pain, you are encouraged to do what you can to educate him or her on the dangers of the drug and on the fact that there are other choices out there.
The Importance of a Legitimate Doctor
Any person seeking treatment for chronic pain should ensure that he or she is dealing with a legitimate doctor – one who doesn’t just prescribe strong prescription pain medications, such as OxyContin, because he or she is looking to make a profit. Some of the markers of an illegitimate doctor include:
- Pushing the use of painkillers
- Prescribing medication without performing a full examination and having a complete medical history on file
- Offering continuous prescriptions (e.g., continually refilling prescriptions with no exams in between)
- Not asking about a prior history of addiction
- Being well known as an “easy” doctor to acquire prescriptions from
When OxyContin Prescription Strikes
No matter how hard you try to educate and inform your loved ones on the potential dangers associated with OxyContin, addiction can and does still occur. If someone you care about has already formed an addiction to the drug, call us at Axis at the phone number listed above. We can help you determine the best course of action to assist your loved one today.
