Massachusetts Attorney General Targets Oxycontin Maker Purdue, Says They Engineered Opioid Crisis (Page 3)
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The Massachusetts attorney general is targeting Purdue Pharma and eight members of the Sackler family who own the company, alleging in a lawsuit they are "personally responsible" for deceptively selling OxyContin. The attorney general, Maura Healey, sat down with CBS This Morning. She alleges the Sackler family hired "hundreds of workers to carry out their wishes" – pushing doctors to get "more patients on opioids, at higher doses, for longer, than ever before" all while paying "themselves billions of dollars." In her lawsuit, Healey names eight members of the family that own Purdue Pharma, alleging they "micromanaged" a "deceptive sales campaign." In the conclusion to the complaint, Healey said the Sackler family used the power at their disposal to engineer an opioid crisis. Almost 400,000 people died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2017, according to the CDC. Full Story: CBS This Morning

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Re: Bella (# 24)

I don’t care what the AMA says. These addicted morons are ADDICTS—NOT the victims of a “disease”. The same AMA says obesity is a “disease”. Every issue is always someone else’s fault and it is people that enable them and justify their behavior. No one wants to accept responsibility for their personal issues and people like you are nothing more than codependent with them. As far as you saying your relative never stole anything I say you are lying. How would you know what this person did to feed their habit? Someone had to make a CHOICE to start on this crap in the first place. Accept responsibility for your actions. Quit being a whiner and blaming everyone else but YOU! I do not care how many EXCUSES you come up with. The individual that took the illicit drugs in the first place is the problem.

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Re: cliff j (# 23)

Unless you had a child DIE from an overdose you cannot speak about it. My nephew died at 20 years old and NE-VER started with pills! He NE-VER robbed anyone nor get into trouble. EVER. He EXPERIMENTED LIKE YOU at one time. Only these kids get in a bubble and they can’t get out! There is no help and if it were as easy to say “ya today I’ll stop the drugs” they’d be no overdoses. Blaming an addicted child is plain ignorance and uneducated about the real problem. The American Medical Association already declared it a DISEASE IN 1962! So you’re behind on your ridiculous statement! If I was allowed to say things they would not print this. Shame on you.

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Re: Bella (# 22)

Wow. I do not even know what to address first. It is awful that the patient/Doctor relationship has devolved into where it is. If a patient feels that their treatment plan is not working then they should be able to have an unemotional discussion with their Doctor. No one whether it is the patient or the Doctor should go ballistic just because they want to open a discussion regarding their treatment plan. As far as trying to state that the street addicted people of any age that take street heroin and street fentanyl not having anything to do with the problem is just wrong. They are one of the main reasons that we are where we are. They steal anyone’s medications that they have the opportunity to steal and thumb their noses at society by doing illegal drugs. That does not even take into account all of the burglary’s they commit to get money for their drugs. I am not willing to let people off so easy by saying they have a “disease”. It is just like fat people saying they have a disease.People that have issues need to take affirmative steps to rid themselves of the issue(s) they are dealing with. I am done with all of the codependency. I do not mind helping people that want help but a person cannot get assistance unless they make up their mind that they want assistance.

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Re: cliff j (# 20)

Pain management clinics are really only there to hook you up then pull out the rug. At least in people’s experiences I’ve been told. The doctors get kick backs in these clinics, that’s why they are targeted. Profit over people. Most 99% are in need of pain meds then there comes the one who’s really good at manipulating. But he really isn’t because the doctors don’t give a s*** about you. There are many compassionate doctors who do, but not in these clinics. I saw a kid come out with the biggest grin once...too young for pain I thought but one never knows. Walking by as if he just hit the lottery. As for me I stick with my primary for pain meds now and it’s ridiculous I only get 15 pills 5 mg oxy and continue to suffer because I once asked for 30 she took a fit. And for 15 I had to sign my life away...considering I never did drugs in my life until I was diagnosed with issues as a senior what you have to go through is not worth it. People only resort to buying on the streets. Breaks my heart. And please it’s nothing to do with the awful Heroin/Fentanyl addicted kids. But someone has to be blamed so blame the addicted kids. Addiction is a disease. Everyone experimented in my day...that’s just what you do. Feel bad for today’s day and age....good decision hope you feel better.

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Re: nimshie29 (# 4)

And the State doesn’t? That is why you see STATES bringing these suits. They have bottomless pockets. They want to Bankrupt these companies and some deserve it for the narrative they painted.

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Re: Bella (# 2)
It was suggested that I go to a more powerful analgesic (from Hydrocodone 7.5/325 to OxyContin 20 mg.) I absolutely refused. I said that I wanted to stay where I was. I was left where I was. No blowback whatsoever. I guess some are with practices that get all upset if you refuse their offer of more powerful pain medications.

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Re: nimshie29 (# 4)

"These companies have money to spare". Really? And the State doesn't? After all they are not spending their money. It is the tax payers money. One of the objectives of these lawsuits is to drive the companies into bankruptcy. If it is proven in Court (so far it is only an assertion. People/companies still have the presumption of innocence.) One of the things that most do not know is that most of the "opioid" crisis deaths is due to the illegal fentanyl and heroin brought into this Country by criminals. Under no circumstances should people who have been forced onto pain killing LEGAL meds for reasons beyond their control be caught up into this "war". Some times there are no decent alternatives. Do you accept short term injections? If you do then the problem the injections temporarily fix will be the least of a persons problem. Do you accept surgery when the Neurological Association Surgeon tells you BEFORE THE SURGERY that they will be lucky if they can correct 40-50% of the issue. More likely it will be closer to 20%. OR, if you tolerate the pain meds and do not abuse them do you just stay on the pain meds long term as the only real option? This is the issue for many. To have basically no long term options other than pain medications to give you any relief or quality of life a persons choices are either temporary relief or pain meds.

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Re: Beth (# 17)

Look at the thread about OxyContin and the wealthy Sackler family who made it and the millions of deaths caused by it. period.

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Of the 400,000 that died between 1999 and 2017, how many died because of oxycontin??? More of those that died, died because of other opioid abuse, such as heroin and fentanyl!! So FDA give us correct and not made up facts plz!!! Be honest!!

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Re: RosalieMBo (# 15)

The one thing I did not connect here was the Ethiopians bringing over Fentanyl? Is that a joke? Coming back from war is not easy and I’m sorry for your pain. But 40 mg of oxy? Three times a day? then they stopped you? I’m not quite understanding. I have to keep repeating myself perhaps you didn’t see my answer and that is the AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION and the CDC controlling and telling the doctors in conferences everywhere to stop the flow or limit the opiates. I just read the two Executives who just got arrested in NYC for giving out thousands of Oxys and Fentanyl to people. THIS IS WHAT IS RUINING IT AS WELL! Deceptive doctors! These types are the problem as well. I too know the feeling of being alone during holidays... I practically live in my church and did so for Holy Week. That helps my loneliness. Anyway if your abusing drugs people, doctors don’t like that as well. Especially if you go in without a diagnosis and seem desperate. Since my primary will only give me 15 Oxy per month( what a joke), but my pain management doctor (he gives me shots) wants to give me more monthly, I actually refused the switch over because I don’t want to end up a slave to a doctor and talked down to like I’m five years old. So this way I am in control of my pain not take every day. Sub with 800 Ibuprofen etc... As a senior myself, I offer my pain up to God. I’d rather suffer than suffer any withdrawals from a doctor who says yes for a year then takes away. Most of them just s***.

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Of those statistics, how many were under the care and prescriptions of a Dr.? Most are being purchased on the street like fentanyl is now. The years of our boys in combat coming home addicted and then the mighty Methadone if whom the formulator cried as he knew of it as the horror it is. But still prescribe! Suboxone, my experience was that I had to take six 8mg tablets and went through a horrific withdrawal only to be reinjured and back on being owned by prescription drugs. My insurance company approved three 40 mg oxys daily he prescribed two!!! I was getting the exact same pill as the original overpriced ones however paying a generic price. My pharmacist feels that she may not be able to get them again. I'm broke may even lose my home and cannot pay what they'd want if no generics show up and my Dr. could care less about the suffering it will cause me with only 19% of my heart and Pulmonary nodules, tumors COPD, Bronchiectasis and Asthma from 9/11 and that doesn't include the broken down mess of pain I'm in. I fought taking drugs for years by bodybuilding and a heart attack assures me I'll not make withdrawing as I have six times from surgeries. This time it will kill me, and now at my age it will cause me great suffering and death. I'm alone and this week will tell me what I'm in for and it is Genuinely terrifying!

WHY ARE WE NOT FIGHTING AS A LARGE LOBBY OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER AND CANNOT MAKE IT WITHOUT OR THROUGH THUS. Go stop the Ethiopians from making much and getting it into the country. The killer fentanyl on the street, and the heroin which never came from the drugstore and no one just chooses to try it if the pain is taken care of appropriately, especially the elderly and to my disbelief I have made it to that large number 65. I no longer feel ashamed at the fact that I have pain and require something to relieve me of it! Perhaps it’s time to contact some of the politicians and have this address for appropriate treatment of opioids for the largest group of people, the elderly! People who suffer from the pain out of surgical screwup‘s and I was left with nothing to live for but more pain, there is no future in that, there is no hope and we have just passed the most hopeful of all the holy holidays and I stayed in and felt purely depressed as these fights are no longer met with the younger and healthier me. The only unfortunate thing is I took four months of large doses of prednisone and what used to be thought of as temporary memory loss is now considered permanent and I am having a tough time, but my ADD allows me the ability to talk. The question is am I going to be a victim or a victor? How about the rest of you?

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Re: Bella (# 8)

Well wow. I just made a statement to someone agreeing for more proof and info on the sackler family..and you just said it so well. Seriously I understand it now. Great reading material thank you so much for clarifying this and taking your time to write this

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Re: Beth (# 6)

I'm with you on this topic. Needing more proof..I mean how can they acculy talk doctors into prescribing medications

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Re: Bella (# 10)

It is true about the numbers & they need to go back to the manufacturers. Also, doctors have a responsibility to “do no harm”. Pharmacies need to be included as well. I have had meds that worked great only to get a different manufacturer when calling in my refill. Why do pharmacies change a manufacturer? I just had an instance where I’ve been taking the same brand of triazolam for many years. I go to the same pharmacy. Now they changed brands which by the way are inferior to the other medication I’ve been taking for years. It all comes down to the manufacturer. They give pharmacies big incentives to change brands & aren’t as effective as the ones taken previously. I noticed it right away. Then if you try to find a pharmacy that gives you the brand you have always used, you looked at as a pharmacy shopper. I do not know the chemical breakdown between the two. I can only go by how it effects me. Are they using different ingredients. Don’t know. Never had an issue with them except that this other brand is less effective. It all comes down to money. Also, when I go to my pain doctor, there are countless pharmaceutical reps that come in with samples all the time. Maybe that’s where the gov should be focusing their attention on.

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Here's some more recent news on Purdue:

(Reuters) - OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP is exploring filing for bankruptcy to address potentially significant liabilities from roughly 2,000 lawsuits alleging the drugmaker contributed to the deadly opioid crisis sweeping the United States, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

Ref: Exclusive: OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma exploring bankruptcy

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Re: Mare (# 9)

Did you not read my post in the statistics of misuse? Not selling it but taking more than you should, due to a tolerance build up. And it’s opposite where I live they would rather do surgery than to give out meds. Although “shots” are the new thing in which physicians pocket $2400 for each cortisone etc... shots they give you. What a racket and they don’t even work. I have been down every avenue, even as a Catholic going to healing Masses which I may add worked at one time. It’s learning to live with the pain, and getting to the bottom of it instead of a medication band aid. I feel for others in agonizing pain as pain meds actually cause more pain. Hence the big business. Purdue needs to be locked away and the rest of them for the sake of the people who died from their greed. May God help us all.

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Re: Bella (# 8)

Part of the problem with opioids being prescribed is because the insurance would rather approve pain meds than actually fixing the problem with surgery or other avenues. For me, my problem could be fixed with a spinal disc implant. Since 1997, I was given meds instead. It’s far cheaper than an operation & hospital time. So same on the insurance companies who also contributed to this so called “crisis”. For the most part, it’s not the patient who is getting addicted. It’s the people wanting to get high out in the streets. If you are a pain patient & you are selling your meds SHAME ON YOU! Your doctor needs to kick you out of their office. But you need to leave the people alone who get relief from their meds & take it as prescribed.

I don’t take Oxycontin but if I did, I would use them for relief. Not for a few bucks in my pocket. I think that most people who have chronic pain or had surgery that their pain is controlled by these meds, you need to leave it to their doctor. Just because there are dumb selfish people who would rather buy or sell their meds, don’t lump everyone in the same category.

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Re: Beth (# 6)

Every day more than 130 people overdose and die on prescription painkillers. The CDC estimates that the total of prescription opioid misuse alone in the USA is $78.5 Billion a year including addiction treatment, and criminal involvement. In the late 1990’s the pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not be addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. This led to misuse and became clear that these meds could be highly addictive. In 2017, more than 47,000 Americans died from prescription meds as well as heroin, and Fentanyl. That same year, an estimated 1.7 million people in the USA suffered from substance abuse related just to prescription pain meds and 625,000 from heroin. 29% misuse prescription meds. 12% develop an opioid use disorder. 4-6% go from pain meds TO heroin. 80% actually go from pain pills to heroin. Including my 23 year old nephew from pills.

As far as the greedy Sackler family goes THEY KNEW their Oxycontin was causing overdoses, yet continued to cash in as deaths mounted. Not only the Sackler family but 9 board members as well. Purdue argues to withhold info about the Sacklers, one of the richest families in the USA. Getting rich off the deaths of deceased people. Mr. Sackler is obsessed with profits as Ms Healy has stated. Matter of fact in Sacklers own words, he wrote that he had hoped for “better results” after one weeks prescribing these pills. Sales reps were told they would be fired because they were not increasing their pill prescriptions. Mr. Sackler then went on to say “The launch of Oxycontin tablets will be followed by a blizzard of prescriptions that will bury the competition. The prescription blizzard will be so deep, dense, and white.” Over the next 20 years, his dream had come true. They created a man-made disaster. Their prescriptions had buried children, parents, and grandparents across Mass and it continues. The company’s then-president, lawyer, AND chief medical officer, plead guilty to a felony, and Purdue paid a $600 million dollar fine for misleading the public. Personally, I think they are greedy, scum sucking, selfish, non-compassionate a**holes who deserve life in prison. And you need proof???

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Re: Beth (# 6)

Good feedback, thank you Beth. Please note that we simply republished part of a story from CBS news because it tends to be a topic of interest on our site. That being said, it appears that there was a ruling on Monday which orders the full release of redacted materials involved in the lawsuit. According to the ruling, the complaint must be made public by noon today. It will be interesting to see what the full contents of the lawsuit reveal.

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I want more proof that Purdue is guilty of this, and exactly how did they manipulate this kind of scheme?? I want a lot more answers!!! And the numbers everyone keeps throwing around of deaths due to opioids is constantly changing!! We, the people are paying attention to what your writing and claiming!!! One more thing, I know for a fact that the majority of opioids that are killing people are illegal drugs, such as heroin!!! So please be more accurate!!

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'K. I'll try 2nd report about my personal experience and need for any help to find a Class Action Sit against Pu...

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