OXYCONTIN EPIDEMIC

The tragedy of the OxyContin abuse epidemic extends far beyond
Southwest Virginia. Maine, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida and Alaska have extensive problems with OxyContin
abuse.

I think there is very little question that the extensive marketing
and promotion of the drug by Purdue has been a significant
contributing factor to the problem. From 1996 through 2000,
prescriptions for other common opioid pain medications (narcotics)
increased by 23 percent. OxyContin prescriptions dispensed during the
same period increased by over 1800 percent. In over-selling the
benefits of opioids for chronic non-malignant pain while trivializing
the risks, Purdue Pharma's business success has come at a high cost
to the public health.

While I would agree in most circumstances that as a society we cannot
sue our way to sobriety and safety, there are, I think, several
substantial good outcomes possible for the multibillion-dollar class
action lawsuit recently filed in Lee County. If successful, the suit
could reimburse in some small measure the patients and families whose
lives have been so devastated by opioid addiction from OxyContin. A
successful suit could lead to the establishment of a comprehensive
treatment facility for addiction problems in Southwest Virginia.

The full details of the promotion, marketing strategy and practices
will be exposed during such a suit. We would hope that public
expectations and subsequent federal regulation would impose higher
standards for acceptable marketing by the pharmaceutical industry -
standards that would be more protective of the public interest.

This suit may be able to encourage the pharmaceutical industry - when
developing medications of high abuse potential - to develop
formulations of their drug which would have minimal abuse potential.
OxyContin should, can and will be reformulated to a low-abuse
potential drug; this needs to be done prior to the introduction on
the market, rather than post-marketing after a tragic abuse epidemic.

Art Van Zee, M.D.

St. Charles, Va.