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The crisis refers to the rapid increase in prescription opioid pain pills in the United States, This increase has led to skyrocketing rates of heroin use. This increase has also led to a significant increase in addiction and health related complications.
The crisis refers to the rapid increase in prescription opioid pain pills in the United States, This increase has led to skyrocketing rates of heroin use. This increase has also led to a significant increase in addiction and health related complications.
The Pharmaceutical Industry's Connection to the Crisis
In the late 1980s, Purdue Pharma manufactured OxyContin. Purdue Pharma was not forthcoming about the addictive nature of OxyContin initially (Zee, 2009). In the 1990s, Purdue informed prescribers and other health professionals via aggressive marketing that OxyContin was a safer opioid pain medication.
In 2007, Purdue Pharmaceuticals and three of its executives were charged with misbranding OxyContin and negating the possibility of dependence and addiction. They pleaded guilty, and the company eventually settled with the U.S. government for $635 million (Moghe, 2016). Purdue Pharmaceuticals generated sales of over $35 billion since the release of OxyContin in the middle of 1990 (Morrell, 2016).
Investigative report states Purdue Pharma knew OxyContin was highly addictive.
Purdue Pharma's 1990s promotional video for OxyContin.
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