Pubdate: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 Source: Beckley Register-Herald (WV) Copyright: 2001 The Register-Herald Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd86 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1441 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?186 (Oxycontin) OXY The issue: The prescription pain-killer OxyContin has been abused and misused. Perdue Pharma, the maker of the prescription pain-killer OxyContin, has launched a campaign warning teens against the abuse of all prescription drugs. The campaign's message is blunt. There's no sugar-coating when it comes to warning teens about the effects of drug abuse. It appears to be a responsible approach by the company. But at the same time company officials are promoting the campaign, government officials in Washington are lashing out at Perdue Pharma, claiming it is partly responsible for the widespread and growing abuse of OxyContin, which has been blamed for 117 deaths in 31 states in the past two years. During a House subcommittee hearing Tuesday, Asa Hutchinson, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Perdue Pharma gave its sales representatives incentives to sell large quantities of the drug and took doctors on expense-paid retreats to encourage them to prescribe the drug. The company denied engaging in improper marketing practices. The abuse and misuse of OxyContin have overshadowed the benefits of the drug to those with severe and chronic pain. It's time all sides work together in a responsible way to control this deadly problem. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk