The PBS news story found on the link below strikes a nerve with me. Watch the link below!

click here to watch PBS video

 It’s a good summary of how Purdue Pharma, inventor of the most widely abused opioid known to man         ( Oxycontin), looks at their product with an eye for profit throwing away all concern for addiction.  Oxycontin was invented in 1996 as an answer to the bad reputation that opioids had of being highly addictive.  It was advertised as being safe, Purdue told their doctors at the time that Oxycontin had only a 1% addiction rate.  If you were a sales person for Purdue in the late 90’s your were making big money on selling Oxycontin.  It wasn’t uncommon for a sales person to make over $100,000 in bonus alone!  We know now that Purdue's 1% addiction claim is far from the truth.  Opioids including Oxycontin continues to kill thousands every year. 

What amazes me is that money spent to wine and dine the doctors who prescribe these drugs continues.  Purdue’s current food budget for doctors is 9 million a year!  Can you believe that!  I treat many nurses and the stories that I hear on what their office gets as free gifts from drug companies are shocking.  One nurse confided that she never has to buy lunch, it’s always provide by some drug rep.  Another nurse told me that the drug rep gives the doctor a 10 question survey to fill out. The doctor spends a minute on this and gets $100 for his work.  Then there is the Doctor that was asked to be a featured speaker at an event in Hawaii.  He had to speak for 20 minutes.  On top of his pay, he was told he could bring his family along and all expenses would be paid. 

 Do you think that the giving away of such gifts persuade doctors to prescribe a certain drug?  Studies overwhelmingly say YES!  Doctors that are given gifts, write more prescriptions!  I know it’s not as bad as it use to be.  There are new laws that make it harder for drug companies to do this.  Thank goodness it is frowned upon and has been brought out in the open but it still does happen to an extent. 

Do you think more should be done to prevent this?

As I always say, I’m not against drugs, I’m against the abuse of drugs.