Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Maker of OxyContin Now Has a Plan to Profit Off the Opioid Crisis They Had a Hand In Creating

Maker of OxyContin Now Has a Plan to Profit Off the Opioid Crisis They Had a Hand In Creating
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 24: A man uses heroin under a bridge where he lives with other addicts in the Kensington section of Philadelphia which has become a hub for heroin use on January 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 900 people died in 2016 in Philadelphia from opioid overdoses, a 30 percent increase from 2015. As the epidemic shows no signs of weakening, the number of fatalities this year is expected to surpass last year's numbers. Heroin use has doubled across the country since 2010, according to the DEA, part of an epidemic. Officials from Philadelphia recently announced that they want to become the first U.S. city to allow supervised drug injection sites as a way to combat the opioid epidemic. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

No shame.

In a twist completely apropos for 2018, Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, has received a patent for a medication designed to treat opioid addiction. Purdue Pharma is largely considered to be responsible for the current opioid epidemic.

The patent is not for an entirely new medication; rather, it is for a new and fast-acting form of an existing medication: buprenorphine.


One popular form of buprenorphine is sold under the name Suboxone. The medication acts as an opioid replacement. It works by controlling drug cravings and is used as an alternative for individuals hooked on painkillers or heroin. The current method of transmission for buprenorphine is a sublingual strip or tablet that dissolves under the tongue — something that can take up to 15 minutes to dissolve. The new form would be given in wafer form, dissolving in just a matter of seconds.

"While opioids have always been known to be useful in pain treatment, they also display an addictive potential. Thus, if opioids are taken by healthy human subjects with a drug-seeking behaviour they may lead to psychological as well as physical dependence,” the patent states.

OxyContin was originally created in 1995 by Purdue Pharma, and heavily marketed as a miracle painkiller. The marketing campaign was aggressive and eventually led to OxyContin becoming the most widely prescribed opioid medication. Even though sales have declined in recent years, the company still grossed over $2 billion in sales from the medication.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 24: A man uses heroin under a bridge where he lives with other addicts in the Kensington section of Philadelphia which has become a hub for heroin use on January 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 900 people died in 2016 in Philadelphia from opioid overdoses, a 30 percent increase from 2015. As the epidemic shows no signs of weakening, the number of fatalities this year is expected to surpass last year's numbers. Heroin use has doubled across the country since 2010, according to the DEA, part of an epidemic. Officials from Philadelphia recently announced that they want to become the first U.S. city to allow supervised drug injection sites as a way to combat the opioid epidemic. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

In recent years, Purdue Pharma has been associated with numerous lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic. The Sackler family, which controls Purdue, was personally named in one of the lawsuits this past June. The Massachusetts Attorney General accused the family of a “deadly, deceptive scheme to sell opioids.”

For the most part, Purdue Pharma denies any culpability and deceptive practices. In a statement to CBS News, the company stated that all of their practices have been above board.

"Purdue is confident that its past marketing and sales of its prescription opioid medications have been consistent with the information contained in the FDA-approved label as the agency oversees the risks and benefits of prescription medications. Additionally, FDA has, and continues to, rigorously assess the science and medical practice around the appropriate treatment of chronic pain, while simultaneously working hard to ensure that our society suffers less from the scourges of prescription opioid abuse and addiction. Purdue is committed to working collaboratively with all those impacted by this public health crisis to help stem the tide of opioid-related deaths and addiction."

More than 72,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2017. That death count is higher than the yearly death tolls from HIV, car crashes or gun deaths. According to the CDC, 48,000 people died from opioid-related overdoses in the last year. Since 2013, 170,000 opioid-related deaths have occurred. The death toll, as caused by opioids, is staggering and epidemic. It’s tremendously ironic that a company largely credited for contributing to the addiction epidemic would now want to profit from its treatment.

As that death toll related to overdose and addiction continues to rise, something needs to be done on a systemic level. We need a solution based on new health initiatives, public health, and stigmatization, rather than allow the company which largely created the problem to continue to profit from it.

More from News

Val Kilmer
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Hollywood Pays Poignant Tribute To Val Kilmer After His Tragic Death At 65

Hollywood stars are paying tribute to Top Gun actor Val Kilmer after he died on Tuesday at the age of 65 after a battle with pneumonia, surrounded by family and friends.

Kilmer got his start in Hollywood with comedic roles in Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), but his breakout moment came with Top Gun (1986), which cemented his status as a rising star.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; portrait of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Trump Slammed Over Plans For Magnolia Tree Planted By Andrew Jackson To Be Chopped Down

President Donald Trump was criticized after he took to Truth Social to announce he would chop down a magnolia tree that was planted next to the White House to commemorate President Andrew Jackson's late wife in the early 1800s, touting the move as one of the "tremendous enhancements" his administration has undertaken.

Trump announced that, following consultations with the Executive Residence Staff and the National Park Service, his administration has decided to replace the tree on the White House’s south side, citing safety concerns. The tree has historically served as a backdrop for past presidents greeting foreign dignitaries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dave Coulier
Gerardo Mora/Getty Ima

'Full House' Stars Share Emotional Celebrations After Dave Coulier Reveals He's Cancer-Free

Fans of Full House were rejoicing recently when it was announced that Dave Coulier had been pronounced cancer free after a 6-month fight with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Back in October 2024, he announced he had been diagnosed with a form of cancer of the lymphatic system after noticing an outsized lymph node that swelled to the size of a golf ball after he was ill from an otherwise benign virus.

Keep ReadingShow less
Newt Gingrich; Joe Neguse
C-SPAN

Dem Rep. Brings The Receipts After Newt Gingrich Claims Biden Judges Are Staging 'Coup'

On Tuesday, the House Democrats of the Judiciary Committee countered Republican efforts to undermine the constitutional role of an independent federal Judiciary branch—which is to provide checks and balances against the Executive and Legislative branches.

House Republicans—led by Judiciary Committee chair and friend-of-Donald, Jim Jordan—seek to retaliate against federal judges for following the United States Constitution and the rule of law.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nettie and Darrel Yeager
Darwell Yeager III/Facebook

Mississippi Restaurant Sparks Outrage After Offering Discount To Straight Couples Only

A Mississippi couple are in hot water online after offering a straight-couples discount at their restaurant.

Darrel and Nettie Yeager, owners of Darwell's Happiness Café, took to Facebook on March 25 to announce that any couple "who can produce a child" would get a special bonus.

Keep ReadingShow less