F.D.A. Bars Generic OxyContin

[alp227]

Source: NYT

In a major policy move, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it would not approve generic versions of the powerful narcotic OxyContin, the painkiller that symbolized a decade-long epidemic of prescription drug abuse.

The move represents a victory for OxyContin’s manufacturer, Purdue Pharma, which in 2010 introduced a formulation of the drug that was less prone to tampering.

The original version of OxyContin, which was approved in late 1995, could be easily crushed, a step that released its entire narcotic payload at once rather than over time as intended. The new version turns into a jellylike mass when crushed.

Some state attorneys general and pain treatment experts had also urged the F.D.A. to block the release of generic versions of OxyContin, arguing that failing to do so would feed street demand for strong narcotics. But the decision is also likely to result in higher prices for OxyContin, a time-release form of a narcotic called oxycodone, because it will not face generic competition.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/17/business/fda-bars-generic-oxycontin.html

[Iliyah]

1. Well Russ Limpballs

oh right, you can get the real deal.

[still_one]

2. and what about people who need it for their pain, pay more or suffer

[awoke_in_2003]

5. That's the American way. nt

[SkyDaddy7]

12. I have been on Oxycontin for 10yrs...

And when I was first prescribed the drug for pain due to a spinal cord injury it was available in generic form but Purdue sued & got the generics removed & the price skyrocketed from a co-pay of $20 to $269!

However, I am lucky because my doctor is in the process of getting me off the drug entirely! So, hopefully I won't have to deal with another price jump.

From the first time I was prescribed the medicine I was looked at by pharmacist as a drug addict & any doctor I saw who was not part of my medicval team who prescribed me the Oxycontin would question me thoroughly about why I needed to be taking such powerful pain killers. I felt like I had done something wrong for the first few years I was on the meds.

[Trillo]

3. Creating perpetual patents.

When the first patent runs out, make the old method illegal.

[truthisfreedom]

4. I'm all for that, but there should be a program at Purdue Pharma for those who can't afford

the drug at the inflated price and have real pain management needs. This should be built in to the new ruling.

[still_one]

10. They don't care whether it is on the street or not, they want to maintain their profits. There are

Plenty of pain killers and other drugs that are generic.

[naaman fletcher]

13. Why are you all for that?

If the stuff is legal, then it should be treated like any other drug.

[Lucretius]

6. Toss another log on the fire

of the heroin epidemic and its attendant violence and corruption.

[fujiyama]

7. Yay! A win for big pharma!

If you can't afford prescription drugs at inflated prices, you should feel pain because you're poor. Go reflect on that poor people! If you actually had useful skills (like being a bigoted loud mouth blow hard) then you could actually afford them you moocher lucky ducky taker!

It's the American way!

[justice1]

8. According to their logic, there shouldn't be any reason to not make a generic liquid.

[unrepentant progress]

9. They do

It's called Laudanum, but just try getting a prescription for that from your doctor.

Note: I realize that oxycontin is a different drug than laudanum, but they're both opiods.

[bulloney]

11. It just means that people like Limpballs will be the only ones who can afford OxyContin.

That means more OxyContin available for the blathering foghorn from EIB.

[socialindependocrat]

14. Another governament organization bought and paid for

and serving the wealthy!