An OxyContin lawsuit attorney notes that a report on the efficacy of the painkiller has found that the drug may not live up to it claims that it relieves pain for up to 12 hours, and that some patients have experienced severe withdrawals symptoms and addiction problems after taking the drug. Affected patients may be eligible to seek compensation with the assistance of bad drug attorneys.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated OxyContin lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Important: The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.
Claim: OxyContin Partly to Blame for Prescription Opioid Abuse and Overdoses
According to a latimes.com report, OxyContin, one of America’s bestselling painkillers, may not live up to the drug maker’s claims of “smooth and sustained pain control all day and all night.” The newspaper investigated documents from court cases, government probes, medical journal articles, expert interviews, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) records. The report claims that some patients may not be getting the 12-hour relief of pain promised by Purdue Pharma and that these gaps in its efficacy may lead to patients suffering severe symptoms of withdrawal like nausea, body aches, and anxiety.
The investigation revealed that in one clinical trial, 95 percent of cancer patients needed “rescue” painkillers to get them through to the next dose, while in another trial where “rescue” medications were not permitted, a third of the patients dropped out because they found the drug ineffective.
When this began to occur in the real world, doctors started prescribing doses every six to eight hours to patients who complained that the drug’s effects wore off. Sales reps with Purdue Pharma however allegedly told doctors to prescribe higher doses to patients instead of more frequent ones. These higher doses mean higher revenues, but they are also a perfect recipe for addiction, the website notes.
The drug maker responded to the newspaper article by stating:
“Scientific evidence amassed over more than 20 years, including more than a dozen controlled clinical studies, supports FDA’s approval of 12-hour dosing for OxyContin”
The report added that 7 million Americans have abused OxyContin, according to the federal government’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and that the drug is widely blamed for setting off the nation’s prescription opioid epidemic, which has claimed more than 190,000 lives from overdoses involving OxyContin and other painkillers since 1999, the website reported.
How an OxyContin Lawsuit Can Help
Drug makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by bad drugs may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
