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OxyContin

OxyContin, manufactured by Perdue Pharma, is a prescription painkiller containing the drug oxycodone, a drug similarly found in Percocet and Percodan. It is a semi-synthetic opiod analgesic used to treat chronic and long-lasting pain. Depending on the dosage, OxyContin contains between 10 and 160 milligrams of oxycodone and is manufactured as a time-release tablet.

OxyContin and Addiction

OxyContin has received attention in the news because of its growing popularity as a treatment for chronic pain and a recreational street drug. In many cases, the drug is associated with both physical dependency and psychological addition.

In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration required Perdue Pharma to include a black-box warning about the link between OxyContin and addiction. The FDA had also asked Perdue to send letters to health care professionals detailing the dangers of OxyContin addiction and suggesting they taper use of the drug to avoid serious withdrawal symptoms in cases of long-term use.

In 2003, the FDA issued a warning discussing ads found in medical journals that it believed minimized the risks of OxyContin and promoted uses considered unsafe. Product liability cases brought against the drug in cases of injury claim that the drug, because of its strength, is unreasonably dangerous and should not currently be on the market.

To learn more about legal claims relating to OxyContin, consult an attorney who practices in the area of drugs and medical devices.