Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Drug firms shipped 20.8M pain pills to WV town with 2,900 people
Charleston Gazette-Mail ^ | 1/29/18 | Eric Eyre

Posted on 01/30/2018 7:28:06 AM PST by markomalley

Over the past decade, out-of-state drug companies shipped 20.8 million prescription painkillers to two pharmacies four blocks apart in a Southern West Virginia town with 2,900 people, according to a congressional committee investigating the opioid crisis.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee cited the massive shipments of hydrocodone and oxycodone — two powerful painkillers — to the town of Williamson, in Mingo County, amid the panel’s inquiry into the role of drug distributors in the opioid epidemic.

“These numbers are outrageous, and we will get to the bottom of how this destruction was able to be unleashed across West Virginia,” said committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., and ranking member Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., in a joint statement.

The panel recently sent letters to regional drug wholesalers Miami-Luken and H.D. Smith, asking why the companies increased painkiller shipments and didn’t flag suspicious drug orders from pharmacies while overdose deaths were surging across West Virginia.

The letters outline high-volume shipments to pharmacies over consecutive days and huge spikes in pain pill numbers from year to year.

Between 2006 and 2016, drug wholesalers shipped 10.2 million hydrocodone pills and 10.6 million oxycodone pills to Tug Valley Pharmacy and Hurley Drug in Williamson, according to Drug Enforcement Administration data obtained by the House Committee.

Springboro, Ohio-based Miami-Luken sold 6.4 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to Tug Valley Pharmacy from 2008 to 2015, the company disclosed to the panel. That’s more than half of all painkillers shipped to the pharmacy those years. In a single year (2008 to 2009), Miami-Luken’s shipments increased three-fold to the Mingo County town.

Miami-Luken also was a major supplier to the now-closed Save-Rite Pharmacy in the Mingo County town of Kermit, population 400.

The drug wholesaler shipped 5.7 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to Save-Rite and a branch pharmacy called Sav-Rite #2 between 2005 and 2011, according records Miami-Luken gave the committee. In 2008, the company provided 5,624 prescription pain pills for every man, woman and child in Kermit.

In its letters, the panel also raised questions about Miami-Luken’s shipments to Westside Pharmacy in Oceana, Wyoming County. The committee cited documents that show a Miami-Luken employee reported a Virginia doctor, who operated a pain clinic located two hours from Oceana, was sending his patients to Westside Pharmacy, which filled the prescriptions.

In 2015, more than 40 percent of the oxycodone prescriptions filled by Westside Pharmacy in Oceana were coming from the Virginia doctor, according to the committee’s letter. The following year, the Virginia Board of Medicine suspended the doctor’s license, finding his practice posed a “substantial danger to public health and safety.”

The panel’s letter also mentions Miami-Luken’s suspicious shipments to Colony Drug in Beckley. In a five-day span in 2015, the drug wholesaler shipped 16,800 oxycodone pills to the pharmacy.

“In several instances, Colony Drug placed multiple orders for what appears to be excessive amounts of pills on consecutive days,” the committee wrote.

The House committee questioned H.D. Smith’s painkiller shipments to Family Discount Pharmacy in Logan County. The drug shipper distributed 3,000 hydrocodone tablets a day to the pharmacy in 2008, a 10-fold increase in sales from the previous year, according to the committee’s letter. The pharmacy, located in a town of 1,800 people, was shipped 1.1 million hydrocodone pills in 2008.

The House panel also cited Springfield, Illinois-based H.D. Smith for spikes in painkiller shipments to Sav-Rite, Westside Pharmacy, Tug Valley Pharmacy and Hurley Drug.

Oxycodone is sold under brand names like OxyContin, while hydrocodone brands include Vicodin and Lortab.

“The committee’s bipartisan investigation continues to identify systemic issues with the inordinate number of opioids distributed to small town pharmacies,” Walden and Pallone said in the statement. “The volume appears to be far in excess of the number of opioids that a pharmacy in that local area would be expected to receive.”

In a statement, H.D. Smith said it was reviewing the committee’s letter Monday.

“H.D. Smith works with its upstream manufacturing and downstream pharmacy partners to guard the integrity of the supply chain, and to improve patient outcomes,” the company said.

Miami-Luken did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In February 2016, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey ended a state lawsuit against Miami-Luken after the company agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle allegations that it flooded the state with painkillers. Morrisey, a former lobbyist for a trade group that represents Miami-Luken and other drug distributors, inherited the lawsuit in 2013 after ousting longtime Attorney General Darrell McGraw.

H.D. Smith paid the state $3.5 million to settle the same pill-dumping allegations in January 2017.

The committee gave H.D. Smith and Miami-Luken until Feb. 9 to turn over documents and answer dozens of questions about what steps, if any, the companies took to stop the flood of pain pills into Southern West Virginia.

“We will continue to investigate these distributors’ shipments of large quantities of powerful opioids across West Virginia, including what seems to be a shocking lack of oversight over their distribution practices,” Walden and Pallone said.

The state has the highest drug overdose death rate in the nation. More than 880 people fatally overdosed in West Virginia in 2016.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; US: West Virginia
KEYWORDS: bigpharma; conspiracy; gateway; marijuana; obamasfault; opiodcrisis; opioids; theories; westvirginia
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last
To: henkster

I was raised in a small town in very rural northern Mississippi. Practically Appalachian in its poverty. The town was dying then, in the 60’s, and is almost dead now................


61 posted on 01/30/2018 8:59:34 AM PST by Red Badger (Wanna surprise? Google your own name. Wanna have fun? Google your friends names......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I was born and raised in Williamson. Moved away in 1962 at age 15. Back then, it was a vibrant town of 8,000 in the heart of the coals fields. It was (then) a great place to grow up, families appeared to be strong. I had good memories of it.

Went back in 2007 for a funeral. I was shocked to see the decline citywide. Unkempt homes with many falling apart. Rundown doesn’t begin to describe it. No sense of pride anywhere. I learned from a Catholic priest that it was due to drugs.

Somewhat later I came across an article on the internet discussing the town’s decline and reason why. It painted a very bleak picture. Turned out to be a real Communist Party rag showing the virtues of “capitalism”. A real punch in the gut to read this article.

Sadly, these drugs are decimating cities and towns everywhere. Is this due to Big Pharma’s greed or is there something more sinister here?


62 posted on 01/30/2018 9:01:41 AM PST by miele man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: miele man

Unscrupulous doctors profiteering off their trade in drugs, most likely. Probably shipping them out to overseas and locals alike. Big Pharma has nothing to do with it. Blaming them for the drug problem is no different than blaming Colt Arms for the gun violence.

The problem is liberalism policies that intentionally create these wastelands. Venezuela and West Virginia are both victims of the same disease: Socialism/Communism................


63 posted on 01/30/2018 9:09:32 AM PST by Red Badger (Wanna surprise? Google your own name. Wanna have fun? Google your friends names......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

If you are concerned about the opioid situation and like to read, Lee Child’s recent “The Midnight Line” is another great Jack Reacher story. I’m not referring to that midget twat who plays him on the screen.


64 posted on 01/30/2018 9:11:16 AM PST by VietVet876
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Come on... Pot’s worse, right?


65 posted on 01/30/2018 9:17:52 AM PST by Hugh the Scot ("The days of being a keyboard commando are over. It's time to get some bloody knuckles." -Drew68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Almost Heaven, West Virginia


66 posted on 01/30/2018 9:23:45 AM PST by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley
Nothing to see here, move along...

You are 100% correct. It sounds horrible, but has anyone actually done the math? I did, and it averages out to about 2 pills per day, per person. I don't see the issue here.

Here's how I came to that:

20.8 million, divided by 2900 people = 7,172 pills per person. Spread out over 10 years, that is 717 pills per person per year. Divide that by 365 days, and you get 2 pills per day per person.

67 posted on 01/30/2018 9:27:06 AM PST by dware (Americans prefer peaceful slavery over dangerous freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Don W
That’s 2 pills per person per day for ten years!

I did the math, too. This is just a bunch of bed wetting. Lol. Goofy people anyhow.

68 posted on 01/30/2018 9:28:22 AM PST by dware (Americans prefer peaceful slavery over dangerous freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

So, who are they faulting, the Drug Companies or the Doctors who are writing the Prescriptions?

No ticky, no Taco.

Is UPS being blamed? Is the USPS being blamed?, FedEx??


69 posted on 01/30/2018 9:28:37 AM PST by Kickass Conservative (The way Liberals carry on about Deportation, you would think "Mexico" was Spanish for "Shithole".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Check Joe Manchin’s garage. His daughter probably has a side business. :)


70 posted on 01/30/2018 9:29:12 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ([CTRL]-[GALT]-[DELETE])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DungeonMaster

You are welcome. The inter-relationship of insurance (health and liability for companies) is interwoven with the marketing of “new” drugs (which are mostly not “new” but are called “me too-s” in the industry). So it is said by observers within the industry that there are “markets” for a new agent that may be said to have been created... i.e. they make the agent to treat a disease or the reverse an agent in search of a disease— so they “sell” the disease. Some being really “quality of life” that have both helped and hurt people (like Viagra etc- that early on created lots of dead old guys who thought they were studs out with young “professionals” and died in the saddle having put nitro fuel into a Model T heart. That’s a joke- but not too far off- the number one side effect in condoland S. Florida was old and newly inherited widows. On the other hand, the physical happiness and accompanying diagnosis of heart disease spun out of the invention of Viagra.

You mentioned biometrics— and you have a good point. In re: blood pressure- there is no doubt as regards strokes and “vascular events”. If one had diabetes (2 or 1) at the same time it’s doubled and etc. on the “risk factors”. But- and stay away from fake “natural” treatment- lose weight if overweight, get modest exercise (walking not aerobics-just walking normal on level surface, every day) and getting good rest/sleep, can dramatically lower bp. As for sleep- having sleep apnea means a person stops breathing while sleeping (for long periods ie. without oxygen) which over time develops into heart areas that die off from low oxygen—absolutely true. So the C-PAP or Bi-Pap has been a lifesaver for many people, men especially- experiencing a complete nights fully rested sleep for the first time in years not waking up tired. So there’s that.
Old timers in family lived to over 100 (3 males) by not taking any but essential blood pressure meds and having good genetics— they did drink a daily dose of “mountain Indian medicine” (LOL). Just some observations. Will leave you with this from a day spent with the world famous director of the Framingham Heart Study— “a stroke before one is 65 will ruin the rest of what years someone may have to really live (loss of speech, movement etc.)” Have never forgotten that, and do as much naturally to prevent vascular problems.

In general though, agree with all the “meds on meds” people are put on and have all kinds of liver and kidney problems because of interactions.

Working in forensic areas makes one very appreciative of life and living and the perspective that give.


71 posted on 01/30/2018 9:29:15 AM PST by John S Mosby (SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

It is painful to live in West Virginia?


72 posted on 01/30/2018 9:33:05 AM PST by the_daug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

1.965044874822863 pills a day per person over a ten year period. No rural folk or small towns nearby? I think your right, “Nothing to see here move along”.


73 posted on 01/30/2018 9:42:06 AM PST by the_daug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Why does this story feel like a John Grisham novel in the making?


74 posted on 01/30/2018 9:46:51 AM PST by Hegemony Cricket (< < Wandering aimfully > >)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dware
divided by 2900 people

This assumes that all 2900 people are on opiods on a full time basis. Not a reasonable assumption.

75 posted on 01/30/2018 10:04:27 AM PST by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Democrats and company cause opioid crisis no known cure.


76 posted on 01/30/2018 10:05:01 AM PST by Vaduz (women and children to be impacIQ of chimpsted the most.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Loud Mime
👍
77 posted on 01/30/2018 10:22:30 AM PST by buckalfa (I was so much older then, but I'm younger than that now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Does the town have a name? I might know it...


78 posted on 01/30/2018 10:40:41 AM PST by Hugh the Scot ("The days of being a keyboard commando are over. It's time to get some bloody knuckles." -Drew68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Hugh the Scot

Williamson......................


79 posted on 01/30/2018 10:42:31 AM PST by Red Badger (Wanna surprise? Google your own name. Wanna have fun? Google your friends names......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

I wonder if you have to show your drivers license in West Virginia to get a Sudafed?


80 posted on 01/30/2018 10:44:47 AM PST by Kid Shelleen (Beat your plowshares into swords. Let the weak say I am strong)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson