Pubdate: Sat, 28 Jul 2001
Source: Tuscaloosa News (AL)
Website: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/
Address: P.O. Box 20587, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Contact:  http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/forum/index.cfm
Copyright: 2001 The Tuscaloosa News
Fax: (205) 349-0802
Author: Dana Beyerle, Montgomery Bureau Chief

GOVERNOR URGES OXYCONTIN MONITORING

MONTGOMERY - Gov. Don Siegelman said he wants OxyContin drug maker Purdue 
Pharma to pay for a prescription drug monitoring program to cut the illegal 
use of the powerful painkiller.

"The problem has been largely that a small number of doctors has abused 
their prescription rights, and what I'm looking for is some means of 
tracking the issuance of OxyContin and other dangerous drugs so we can 
curtail the abuse of the sale and abuse of use of it," Siegelman told The 
Tuscaloosa News.

The drug has been blamed for at least 11 overdose deaths in Etowah County 
from May 1999 to 2000.

He said he wants Purdue Pharma to set up a drug tracking database so signs 
of over-prescribing would send up a red flag and trigger an initial 
investigation by authorities.

Siegelman mentioned the prospect of government intervention.

"I think there will be legislative support for an imposed solution, but I 
would hope the company would come forward and help us put into place 
appropriate safeguards," he said.

Purdue Pharma spokesman Jim Heins said that he was not familiar with the 
proposal but the company already has a 10-point plan to reduce illegal use.

Heins said Purdue Pharma, in conjunction with the Food and Drug 
Administration, agreed to a strong warning about OxyContin that says it 
should be used only for serious pain and misuse can lead to addiction and 
death.

Taken correctly, OxyContin can alleviate pain for 12 hours at a time.

Siegelman said he doesn't want the FDA's warning to lull the public or the 
OxyContin task force he appointed in April into believing the warnings will 
end misuse of the drug. The task force report is due in six months.

"I'm fearful a warning is simply not enough," Siegelman said.

Heins said the company wants a "positive dialogue" and is committed to a 
study of an "ideal state program."

The company several months ago began issuing free, tamper-proof 
prescription pads that can be used for prescriptions of other controlled 
narcotics. Heins said the tamper-proof pads can help lower drug 
prescription diversions.

A Gadsden physician, Dr. Pascual Herrera Jr., lost his medical license 
earlier this year partly as a result of allegedly mis-prescribing drugs. 
Although the state medical licensing agency didn't mention OxyContin, 
Herrera's lawyer said OxyContin "hysteria" led to his client losing his 
license. Herrera has appealed.

Siegelman, a former attorney general, said he discussed illegal drug 
prescription and usage during the recent Western attorneys general 
conference and on Thursday was involved in a conference call with six other 
governors in which he sought support for an OxyContin program.

"I think if there are several governors who have similar problems we ought 
to be able to get the company interested," he said.

Siegelman also said he contacted a "mutual friend" of the family-owned 
Pardue Pharma.

"I still believe manufacturers have an obligation to help us find a 
solution that results in strict enforcement," he said. "I would hope to 
have an agreement sometime before the [January] regular [legislative] session."

Heins said the 10-point plan includes continuing medical education, drug 
prevention and education programs for middle school students, documentation 
kits to help doctors assess pain properly and distinguish between real and 
fake pain, and abuse and diversion brochures.

It also includes underwriting a major prescription monitoring program, law 
enforcement education, research into the cause of abuse, the prevention of 
smuggling and the development of new forms of effective pain relievers.

Purdue Pharma's 10-point plan can be found on the company's Web site at 
www.purduepharma.com.
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MAP posted-by: Beth