The manufacturers of the painkilling drug OxyContin claim they have come up with a harder-to-abuse version of the pill, but a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel wants more testing to make sure. Purdue Pharma claims that adding a coating to the tablets will make them harder to crush so that they cannot be snorted or injected.
OcyContin, which is a time-release version of oxycodone, releases it's painkilling effects over a 12-hour period. But if it is crushed then snorted or injected it can produce a heroin-like high, leading to its nickname, "Hillbilly Heroin."
Purdue Pharma claims its planned plastic-like coating will make abusing the drug more difficult, but the FDA panel wants to see more testing to determine if the new version is actually tamper proof as advertised.
More Information:
- Painkiller Abuse Increasing Among Older Adults
- Basic Facts About OxyContin
- A Prescription for Teen Danger
Source: The Associated Press. Proposed new version of OxyContin questioned. May 5, 2008.
My name is james Huston ive been taking this medicine since I was 15 im 27 years old thats 12yr. I
Im a sickle cell patient an this new tablet is not the same as the old tablet they says its the same but truthfully it isn’t the same an thats real. Ive been sick my whole life I done had 16 surgeries an as soon as we find something that helps the pain it seem like the gov. find away to take it from us an thats not right. I know people mistreat an do things that they’re not suppose to do but what about the people who really need this medication this new plastic type honestly makes my stomache hurt an I know for a fact its the pill because everytime I took it I got the same reaction a stomache ache. So why make people suffer because others misused the drug.
i have tried new oxy 80 it gives me acid reflux and upset painfull tummy too. they took the best pain medicine and ruined it for so many people who where actually getting some relief, the new oxy doesnt break down correctly and does not seem to work as well nice job guys thanx for causing me hell
Please ban oxicontin. The drug is being sold at local highschools. It is as addictive as heroin. PLEASE dont let the pharmacutical companies get away with this. Their like the big banks and only worried about profit making. They dont care about the people they hurt along the way.
thats real nice now the people addicted to ocycontin will definatly switch to dope (heroin) nice job again uncle same or whoever is ultimatly responsible for this.