Posted on 04/16/2013 9:31:11 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Federal health regulators will require generic versions of the best-selling painkiller OxyContin to include recent formulation changes designed to make the pill harder to abuse.
The Food and Drug Administration said late Tuesday it would not approve any generic versions of OxyContin based on the original formulation because it “poses an increased potential for certain types of abuse.” …
OxyContin has long been one the nation’s top-selling prescription painkillers with sales of more than $2.8 billion last year, according to prescription tracker IMS Health. A time-release version of the narcotic oxycodone, the pill was hailed as a breakthrough treatment for chronic pain when it was approved in late 1995. The long-acting formula could be used over 12 hours to maintain a steady level of oxycodone in patients suffering from moderate to severe pain.
But drug abusers quickly discovered they could get a heroin-like high by crushing the pills and snorting or injecting the entire dose at once. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Well, like so many things that can be used for good purposes, the outlaws abuse it and the government makes it harder for those who genuinely need it.
It’s actually unfortunate that access to a really good pain killer for people who need it is debased by the black market trade of it as a narcotic controlled substance.
the govt is protecting some big donors, period....why let a cheaper version of a drug that THEY approved into circulation....what would happen to all the drug profits?.
guess they’ll just have to go back to good ol masturbation.
And it competes for dollars which should be going to the friends of the Democrats in the drug cartels.
Agree!
Yup. Abuse, my a**. The gubmint’ is either mandating that you are too stupid to control yourself with Oxycontin or Odumbo is helping out one of his big donors. With Odumbocare coming, we might end up like Breaking Bad and everyone is a chemist.
Sounds like a giveaway to the pharmaceutical company, if you ask me.
More Obama crony capitalism.
Big pharma was an early supporter of Obamacare
“it ‘poses an increased potential for certain types of abuse’”
Increased compared to what? You know what else poses a potential for abuse? Whiskey. And you don’t even need a doctor to play along for that.
Shut up, government. I’ll abuse myself if I damn well want to.
Here’s a solution: turn the black market white. Legalize it.
It also helps heroin dealers, incidentally. So “Big Pharma,” Big Cartel, Big Government, Afghani farmers, and probably terrorists all win.
The FDA has been letting drug companies to slightly alter there patented formulas as the patents are about to expire. Mew formula, new patent, 10 more years of monopoly...
This ^^ The reformulation of Oxy that the Feds are requiring makes snorting or injecting it infective. In response, lots of abusers are simply switching over to heroin.
confusing article. hard to tell if the FDA is blocking this as a reflexive restriction of freedom, or because someone didn’t make the right “campaign contribution”.
maybe both.
regardless, I’m sure the wise and heroic leaders in DC can get pain meds as needed, unlike us peons.
the generic drug issue.
Republicans are leaving a great issue for them,
on the table.
sometimes, I wonder if Republicans
really want to win
If you want your pain killers, buy them on the streets. It’s good for the cartels and good for the politicians they buy.
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