LEGAL DRUG ABUSE

FDA, Drugmaker Act To Curb Misuse

Misuse of the powerful painkiller OxyContin has been linked to more than
100 deaths. Lawsuits have been filed against its manufacturer accusing the
makers, Purdue Pharma, of pressuring doctors to overprescribe the drug and
of failing to adequately warn of potential abuse.

In Florida, a doctor has been charged with first-degree murder stemming
from the death of a patient using the drug.

OxyContin is a slow-release painkiller prescribed under strict guidelines
to relieve moderate to severe chronic pain, especially in cancer
patients. A single pill is suppose to last 12 hours, but abusers crush the
pills and then snort or inject them for a quick high.

Doctors have been blamed for overprescribing the drug which is one of the
most strictly monitored controlled substances. Prescriptions have
multiplied 20 times since it was introduced in 1996. It has become a major
target in pharmacy robberies with almost 900 OxyContin thefts in the past
year and a half.

It is by no means the first instance of abuse of a legal drug. "This is
just another manifestation of a common problem," said Terry Horton, M.D.,
vice president and medical director of the country's largest drug treatment
center, Phoenix House Foundation.

However, in response to the growing problem, the Food and Drug
Administration has strengthened its warnings with a "black box warning,"
the strongest for an approved drug, to urge physicians to use the drug only
for the most serious conditions.

And manufacturer Purdue Pharma has taken steps to limit abuse. It has
stopped making 160 milligram pills, the highest dose of the medicine, and
is working with the FDA to develop a tamper-resistant version of the drug.

The lawsuits and criminal actions tend to focus the attention and put blame
on the manufacturers rather than the abusers who should also be targeted by
authorities for illegal use of the substance. However, the steps taken by
the FDA and Purdue Pharma in response to the problem heighten awareness and
help reduce availability to keep the drug out of the hands of abusers.