Pubdate: Fri, 09 Nov 2001
Source: Palm Beach Post (FL)
Copyright: 2001 The Palm Beach Post
Contact:  http://www.gopbi.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?186 (Oxycontin)

ANTIDOTE FOR ABUSE

The company that manufactures OxyContin wants teenagers to know the dangers 
of abusing prescription drugs. Purdue Pharma's educational effort, which 
begins Monday with radio ads in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, 
never mentions OxyContin, but that's not necessary. The painkiller already 
is famous for the good it can do and infamous for the harm it can cause.

Purdue Pharma officials thought they had a wonderful discovery in 1995 when 
the Food and Drug Administration approved OxyContin, and they did. The 
timed-release drug helped pain-wracked people sleep through the night and 
resume activities during the day. It became the country's leading opioid 
painkiller, with $1.14 billion in sales.

By early 2000, however, word began to spread that OxyContin was causing 
deaths as people smashed the pills and snorted them. During the first six 
months of 2001, Palm Beach County led Florida with 54 deaths in which 
oxycodone, the active ingredient in OxyContin, was present in the body. 
Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties listed 35 such deaths.

In July, Jupiter physician Denis Deonarine was charged with first- degree 
murder in the OxyContin-related death of 21-year-old Michael Labzda of 
Jupiter. The West Virginia attorney general sued Purdue Pharma, alleging 
that the company marketed the drug aggressively while ignoring its 
potential for abuse, a charge company officials deny. Last week, Florida 
Attorney General Bob Butterworth opened an investigation into those 
marketing practices.

Purdue Pharma's educational campaign targets teens with ads on radio 
stations they listen to and in language they use. "It's really obvious," a 
brochure says, tongue in cheek, "that when someone is passed out, they're 
very boring." Its Web site, www.painfullyobvious.com, refers to the effects 
of painkiller abuse -- shaking, diarrhea, passing out and dying -- as 
no-brainers a smart kid wouldn't risk.

Putting aside the also-obvious fact that the company hopes to gain good 
will that will offset bad publicity, the program carries a good message. 
Purdue Pharma hopes to provide it to schools, churches and teen clubs. 
Material aimed at parents lists behaviors which may signal that a child is 
experimenting with drugs from the adults' medicine chest.

The deaths from abuse of OxyContin are not the only casualties. If 
regulators respond with excessive restrictions, those who need the drug and 
use it correctly will suffer needlessly. In this case, Purdue Pharma's 
enlightened self-interest is in the community's best interest.
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MAP posted-by: Beth