This month, Purdue Pharma, the maker of the painkiller OxyContin, has announced they are no longer going to market the drug to doctors. This announcement is in response to some lawsuits that allege the opioid painkiller is partly responsible for the opioid drug abuse crisis. One of the lawsuits is on behalf of the state of Ohio, where opioid overdoses are rampant.
When the news first broke, people shared their reactions on Facebook. Many of the reactions shifted their focus from the drug companies to individuals.
Dylan Norton wrote: “As an alcoholic and drug addict who has been clean and sober for 39 of my 71 years I like to think I know a bit about addiction. I fully appreciate the issues around Oxy in all it’s (sic) forms but sometimes a pain killer is just a pain killer. A necessary medication for those with chronic pain. I have severe pain from arthritis in my hips. Some mornings I can barely stand let alone walk. Lesser pain killers just do not do as much. I have no interest in snorting or injecting the medication. I take it as prescribed and get immense relief allowing me to function enough to be self reliant and not require care I cannot afford.”
This shows that ceasing the manufacturing of painkiller pills would hurt innocent people.
Tracee Hood also has personal experience with drugs. She explained: “This is another one of the drugs I used to take all the time, coupled with other narcotics. So grateful for all the changes taking place! So grateful to be free now! I can vouch that it’s taken years to get it all out of my system! There’s life past the drugs!!!”
Returning the focus to the pharmaceutical companies, Harry Typaldos posted: “They are still promoting these??? No worries I am sure they will come up with a new family of pain killers that they will swarm the market with that will be safe and non-addictive just like these were.”
Purdue Pharma does in fact sell a newer painkiller called Hysingla.
Alana Langford shared her opinion: “I think it’s too little too late to stop PROMOTING OxyContin to doctors. How about implementing real, measurable, and controllable ways to monitor all the pills prescribed and the doctor shopping that goes on. The opioid epidemic is rampant. Not promoting one of the drugs isn’t going to do anything.”
I have to agree with these individuals there are many issues surrounding painkillers and the people who use or abuse them. But when I focus on drug makers—one link in the chain of addiction—it is clear that they are not guiltless. Pharmacies should stop promoting pills to doctors.
