Mr. Burwell goes on to say, “The way I see it some people will misuse a drug regardless of what it is. If they were to take OxyContin® of the market today, there would another drug to replace it. The same people that would want to misuse or abuse a drug they will find a substitute.”
Whether you saw it on TV or read about it in the national press, OxyContin has been vary newsworthy and alarming to us all. The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled “Drug Crackdown” on February 20, 2002, and Newsweek ran an article entitled “How One Town Got Hooked” in April 2001. Concern has resulted in many government hearings and public forums being held in the recent few months.
Both chambers of the U.S. Congress have held hearings. The first hearing was held on December 11, 2001 by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), Chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the funding for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). His hearing was held on what he termed “the illegal use of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin.” Rep. Wolf invited the following to testify: The DEA, law enforcement officials from Virginia and Kentucky, Purdue Pharma (the manufacturer of OxyContin), individuals recovering from addiction to OxyContin, the American Cancer Society, the American Pain Society, and Johns Hopkins Pain Medicine Department.
The Senate also held a hearing. Virginia Senator John Warner (R-VA), as a member of the Health and Education Committee (HELP), was the first member of the Senate to call for a hearing on February 12, 2002, to examine the risks and benefits of OxyContin. At the request of Senator Warner and Senator Collins (R-ME), the Committee, chaired by Senator Gregg (R-NH) and under the watchful eye of Senator Kennedy (D-MA), heard testimony from two Virginians. Dr. Art VanZee of the St. Charles Clinic in St. Charles, Virginia, testified on problems associated with OxyContin abuse in southwest Virginia. First Sergeant William R. Bess of the Virginia State Police Drug Enforcement Division testified on the abuse of OxyContin and Virginia law enforcement efforts related to the problem. Other Witnesses included Dr. John Jenkins, Director, Office of New Drugs, Food and Drug Administration; Dr. Paul Goldenheim, Vice President for Research, Purdue Pharma L.P; and several others.
MAGNUM monitored both Capitol Hill hearings and observed a possible dangerous trend. Both hearings heard anecdotal testimony from people who knew those that illegally obtained OxyContin for recreational use and suffered medical consequences. The hearings also heard testimony from medical experts expressing compassion for those abusing illegally-obtained pain medications. Lawmakers unfortunately reacted to his testimony by expressing limitations to the drug to those who are prescribed the drug legally, leaving those in pain with less access to appropriate pain management and a good quality of life.
However, the good news is that MAGNUM has had the privilege to work with Senator Warner on pain issues for more than six years, as he has been a champion on Migraine disease and pain matters. To that fact, Senator Warner released a statement on February 12 stating that “OxyContin serves an Important function for many Americans who are suffering from chronic pain.” He goes on to say, “After today's hearing, I imagine that some of us on this Committee will sit down and determine how the federal government can be more helpful in efforts to stem OxyContin abuse. I look forward to working on this issue with my colleagues.”
Another important hearing was held recently by the FDA Advisory Committee on January 30-31, 2002. On both days, the committee discussed the medical use of opiate analgesics in various patient populations, including pediatric patients and patients with chronic nonmalignant pain, as well as the risk-to-benefit ratio of extending opiate treatment into these populations. The FDA addressed concerns regarding the abuse potential, diversion, and increasing incidence of addiction to opiate analgesics, especially to the modified release opiate analgesics such as OxyContin.
