[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 172 (Sunday, November 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2434-E2436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  OXYCONTIN CONTINUES TO DESTROY LIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 21, 2003

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, over the past year I have been writing to 
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and Food and Drug 
Commissioner Mark McClellan urging their action to curb the continuing 
abuse of the powerful prescription painkiller, OxyContin. In many of 
those letters I have enclosed newspaper articles about another life 
destroyed by this drug.
  Their inaction is perplexing. The death toll continues to rise and 
thousands of lives continue to be ruined because of the abuse of this 
drug. When will they do something to stop this tragedy?
  I want to submit the letters I have been sending to Secretary 
Thompson and Commissioner McClellan over the past six months.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Appropriations,

                                   Washington, DC, March 28, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy Thompson,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave, SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Thompson: In December 2001, the Commerce-
     Justice-State and the Judiciary appropriations subcommittee 
     held a hearing on the illegal diversion of the prescription 
     drug OxyContin, a pain-killing Schedule II narcotic 
     manufactured by Purdue Pharma L.P. One of the witnesses, the 
     father of recovering OxyContin addict, told a gripping story 
     of the devastating impact the drug has had on his family and 
     his son, who was in his early 20s. He proudly told the 
     committee how his son had just finished rehab and had kicked 
     his addiction. Sadly, a few months after appearing before the 
     subcommittee, the son died as a result of abusing the drug.
       When used properly, OxyContin is considered a wonder drug, 
     especially for the terminally ill cancer patients. I know 
     what it is like to see people suffer from cancer. Both my 
     mother and father died of cancer. I can remember my mother 
     constantly asking the nurses for more morphine but being told 
     she couldn't have any more. My mother was in a great deal of 
     pain. OxyContin, if it had been available when she was dying, 
     probably would have made her a lot more comfortable at the 
     end.
       When used illegally, however, OxyContin destroys families 
     and communities. It also can lead to death. This powerful 
     painkiller has increasingly become a drug of choice for 
     people who choose to abuse it by chewing it or grinding it 
     up. By disabling the time release mechanism in OxyContin, 
     abusers get a heroin-like high.
       Initially, cases of abuse and illegal diversion occurred 
     primarily in poor, rural communities in Virginia, Kentucky, 
     West Virginia and Ohio. Abuse is no longer limited 
     to Appalachia. The drug has found its way to urban areas 
     and there are now reports of widespread abuse as far away 
     as Arizona. Florida, I am told, has been hit extremely 
     hard.
       Several pharmacies in my congressional District have been 
     robbed at gun point in recent months for OxyContin. No money 
     was taken; the robbers only demanded the drug. Earlier this 
     month, a prominent defense lawyer in northern Virginia who 
     twice served as a local prosecutor in Prince William County

[[Page E2435]]

     pleased guilty to Federal drug charges linked to a large-
     scale investigation into the illegal distribution of 
     OxyContin and other painkillers.
       Communities where the illegal drug has taken hold are being 
     completely destroyed. I am told there is one county in 
     southwest Virginia where no one isn't either using the drug, 
     knows someone using the drug or been the victim of a crime by 
     someone needing the drug.
       When a professional baseball player recently died after 
     taking the dietary supplement ephedra, your agency 
     immediately issued fact sheets regarding potential serious 
     risks of dietary supplements containing ephedra. You were 
     even quoted as cautioning all Americans about using dietary 
     supplements that contain ephedra.
       According to fact sheets produced by the FDA, two deaths, 
     four heart attacks nine strokes and five psychiatric cases 
     involving ephedra have been reported. More than 240 people 
     have died from the abuse of OxyContin and countless numbers 
     of families and communities have been torn apart by this 
     drug.
       Your agency has done a good job educating the public about 
     the dangers of ephedra and other dietary supplements. I urge 
     you to initiate a similar public information campaign about 
     the dangers of abusing OxyContin.
       I have previously written to your department asking for a 
     review of the marketing of OxyContin and its classification 
     for treatment of moderate to severe pain. The Food and Drug 
     Administration did change the warning label on OxyContin but 
     more needs to be done. The drug should not be marketed to 
     treat moderate pain. I urge you to no longer allow OxyContin 
     to be prescribed for moderate pain.
       Too many people have died, too many families have suffered 
     and too many communities have been devastated by the improper 
     use of this drug.
            Sincerely,

                                                Frank R. Wolf,

                               Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce-
     Justice-State and the Judiciary.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, April 7, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration,
     Fishers Ln., Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: I want to share two newspaper articles 
     about OxyContin that I came across since our meeting 
     Thursday. One is from a paper in my District; the other is 
     from a paper in Florida. Both are very troubling.
       I trust you will give this issue the attention it deserves.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                   Washington, DC, April 11, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy G. Thompson,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Thompson:
       As a follow up to my March 28 letter on OxyContin, I want 
     to share with two recent newspaper articles that I recently 
     came across. One is from a paper in my District; the other is 
     from a paper in Florida. Both are extremely troubling.
       OxyContin, when used properly, is a wonder drug. When 
     abused, it is destroying families and communities.
       Please look at this issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                     Washington, DC, May 16, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy G. Thompson
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Thompson: Here's another news article from my 
     District and another death.
       I am waiting to hear what you are going to do.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                   Washington, DC, April 29, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration,
     Fishers Ln., Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: I want to share with you two news 
     articles I recently came across concerning the marketing of 
     OxyContin. The articles stem from the investigation 
     undertaken in 2001 by the Florida Attorney General. Several 
     sensitive company documents were initially sealed but two 
     Florida papers have successfully sued to make the information 
     public. I have highlighted some extremely troubling sections 
     in the articles.
       Please take action.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                  Washington, DC., April 30, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration,
     Fishers Ln., Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: I wanted to be sure you saw this letter 
     by Pennsylvania State Senator Lisa Boscola. This is tragic.
       The FDA needs to address this issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC., May 13, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy G. Thompson,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Thompson: The attached article ran in a newspaper 
     in my District on Monday. Please step in and do something to 
     prevent OxyContin from being allowed to be prescribed for 
     moderate pain. The drug is destroying communities, families 
     and careers.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC., May 13, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration,
     Fishers Ln., Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: The attached article ran in a newspaper 
     in my District on Monday.
       The FDA needs to step in and do something OxyContin should 
     not be allowed to be prescribed for moderate pain. Too many 
     families, communities and careers are being destroyed.
       Please take some action.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC., May 21, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration,
     Fishers Ln., Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: Enclosed is another news story from my 
     District and another death.
       I am waiting to hear what FDA is going to do.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                     Washington, DC, June 5, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Fishers Ln., 
         Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: The enclosed article is from today's 
     Washington Post. When are you going to take some action? 
     Please do something.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, June 25, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy G. Thompson,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Thompson: See the enclosed article from today's 
     Post.
       You have to do something before things get worse.
       When a professional baseball player died after taking the 
     dietary supplement ephedra, your agency took immediate action 
     to warn the public about the dangers of taking such 
     supplements. Sadly, the same cannot be said when it comes to 
     your agency's efforts on OxyContin.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, June 25, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Fishers Ln., 
         Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: The enclosed article from today's Post 
     speaks for itself.
       Please take some action. What are you waiting for.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, July 10, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Fishers Ln., 
         Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: The enclosed brief was in today's Post. 
     You have to do something. What more evidence do you need that 
     there is a problem?
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, July 10, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy G. Thompson,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Thompson: I wanted you to see this brief in 
     today's Post. As you can see the OxyContin problem has no 
     boundaries.
       Thank you for your response to my earlier letters. I hope 
     we can come up with some solutions.
       Best wishes.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf.
                                               Member of Congress.

[[Page E2436]]

     
                                  ____
                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, October 28, 2003.
     Hon. Tommy G. Thompson,
     Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 
         Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Thompson: The enclosed article describes another 
     tragic account of OxyContin abuse.
       How many more stories do we have to read about this problem 
     before you take more action?
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf.
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____



                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, October 28, 2003.
     Dr. Mark McClellan,
     Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration,
     Fishers Ln., Rockville, MD.
       Dear Dr. McClellan: The enclosed article describes another 
     tragic account of OxyContin abuse.
       How many more stories do we have to read about this problem 
     before action is taken?
           Sincerely,
                                                    Frank R. Wolf.
     Member of Congress.

                          ____________________