DRUG USERS TARGET POWERFUL PAINKILLER

STATE health authorities are concerned that a prescription drug used
to relieve severe pain is being obtained fraudulently and misused.

The drug, OxyContin, is an opioid prescribed for people with
conditions such as cancer and severe joint pain.

For years its misuse has been a problem in the United States, where
it has been dubbed "hillbilly heroin".

The Department of Human Services has issued two alerts to doctors in
recent months, urging caution when supplying prescriptions for OxyContin.

An alert issued late last year said that in some cases drug-dependent
people feigned pain and presented forged hospital discharge letters
citing a diagnosis of cancer or another painful condition. It said
some drug-seekers may ask doctors to prescribe high-dose forms, which
could be sold for $1 a milligram.

Since 2004, the department has prosecuted six doctors for
inappropriately prescribing narcotic drugs. But in other cases,
doctors are making innocent blunders after being duped.

Australian Medical Association president Mukesh Haikerwal said he had
had cases where people had asked for large quantities of the drug.
"But I have very strict criteria for prescribing it and if I give
someone a month's supply, they won't get the whole month in one hit," he said.

The company that distributes the drug in Australia, Mundipharma, is
aware of potential misuse. Managing director Cornelia Hentzsch said
the company was working with state health authorities.

"OxyContin tablets are a strong narcotic analgesic, and Mundipharma
has always been concerned about their potential for misuse," Dr Hentzsch said.

She said Mundipharma had adopted a number of measures, including
conducting education sessions for doctors and pharmacists on safe
prescribing, and asking health authorities to alert the company to
any geographical trends in misuse.

The company recommends that doctors do not prescribe narcotic
analgesics if they are in any doubt about the patient requiring the product.

A police spokeswoman said sometimes people tried to sell or barter
their prescribed medication to obtain illegal drugs. "This presents
problems for police such as erratic behaviour of offenders,
management of affected persons in custody as well as driving under
the influence of a mix of illicit and prescription drugs."

Turning Point addiction medicine specialist Nick Lintzeris said some
people appropriately were prescribed OxyContin for long-standing
chronic pain but others obtained the medication "through
over-exaggerating or falsifying symptoms".

"Some people are going to be having some major health problems from
the misuse of these medications," he said. "In some cases it will
contribute to overdose deaths, for other people it will be non-fatal
overdoses that can result in long-standing and serious complications."