DRUGMAKER'S TACTICS

Across the country, emergency room visits and death reports linked to the
abuse of OxyContin are alarming, chilling coroners with the realization
that the powerful painkiller, when abused, has become a major people killer.

Anyone who follows the destructive path of this drug as it spreads
throughout the country (more than 25 states are reporting problems) can't
help but be alarmed. The only thing more alarming is the response of Purdue
Pharma, the manufacturer of the drug.

Purdue has assembled a four-person public relations team to put out the
fire. The team, led by Dr. David Haddox, senior Medical Director, is
seeking to get the facts straight to prove that the death toll from
OxyContin overdoses isn't as high as reported. One can't help but wonder:
what in Dr. Haddox's view would be an acceptable number of deaths?

Purdue is on a mission to treat untreated or undertreated pain, certainly a
worthwhile mission. But the company went into "overdrive" in pursuit of its
goal, and it soon created even more pain, devastating pain, not only to
individuals and families but also to entire communities. The company may
not have been prepared for this, but it should have been. Had Purdue not
overpromoted the benefits and utility of OxyContin the results might have
been very different.

Recalling the drug and reformulating it to lessen its abuse potential would
be the responsible thing to do. There are alternative drugs for severe
chronic pain already on the market as many medical professionals will
attest to. There are no alternatives once a life has been extinguished by
the drug.

Purdue is no stranger to warnings from the FDA. From 1993 to 1996 the
company received repeated warnings from the FDA's Division of Drug
Marketing, Advertising and Communications concerning its promotional
materials for the marketing of another of its drugs, namely, MS Contin. A
final warning letter in November '96 written directly to Purdue's
president, Raymond R. Sackler, M.D. for the company repeatedly
disseminating materials that contain unsupported claims that MS Contin is
superior to other analgesics concludes, "Failure to respond to this letter
may result in regulatory action, including seizure and/or injunction,
without further notice."

On May 11, 2000 the FDA released a letter from DDMAC which identified an
advertisement for OxyContin by Purdue Pharma in the New England Journal of
Medicine entitled, "Proven Effective for Arthritis Pain." The letter warned
that this ad was misleading as to the effectiveness of the drug, and that
it did not properly disclose risk information.

While profit maximization may be a legitimate corporate goal, there are
ethical restraints that bind all corporations in a free society on how that
goal may be achieved. Among them is concern that the patient's health may
not be unduly put at risk.

Beth Davies

St. Charles, Va.