A question from a reader: My doctor prescribed Oxycontin for me after back surgery to treat my pain. When my wife went to pick up the prescription she was told by the pharmacist that she would have to wait awhile because it was not kept on the pharmacy shelves because of robberies. Dr. Mike, can you explain this?
OxyContin (oxycodone) is one of the most widely abused prescription medications. The medication is a prescription painkiller and it is widely used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain in patients with trauma, low back disorders, cancer, and following surgery.
People who abuse Oxycontin crush the timed-release form of the drug and then snort it or inject it to cause a strong morphine-like high.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), “The introduction in 1996 of OxyContin, commonly known on the street as OC, OX, oxy, oxycotton, blue, hillbilly heroin, and kicker, led to a marked escalation of its abuse as reported by drug abuse treatment centers, law enforcement personnel, and health care professionals.” The DEA also acknowledges a 75% increase in criminal activities related to OxyContin abuse, challenging law enforcement and healthcare resources throughout the country.
OxyContin abusers gain access to the drug by means of fraudulent prescriptions, over-prescribing by some physicians, doctor shopping, pharmacy theft, drug dealers, and smuggling into the United States.
Recently, Purdue Pharma LLC, one of the manufacturers of OxyContin claimed that adding a plastic-like coating to the tablets makes them harder to crush. However, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel called for more testing.
