[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 78 (Friday, May 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     GUILTY PLEA BY PURDUE FREDERICK COMPANY AND TOP EXECUTIVES TO 
                         MISBRANDING OXYCONTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2007

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, 12 years ago a landmark 
painkilling medicine hit the doorstep of doctor's offices and local 
pharmacies with the promise of less addiction and less likelihood for 
abuse. This prescription drug provided a sustained-release mechanism 
with up to 12 hours of pain relief for a sore thumb or a back ache. 
This drug was billed as a ``safe'' alternative without the painful 
withdrawal symptoms of other opioids and enjoyed an FDA designation of 
``moderate-to-severe'' pain, making it wildly popular among 
unsuspecting doctors and pharmacists. OxyContin seemed to be the answer 
for real pain relief.
  Today, we know these were lies. The manufacturer of OxyContin, Purdue 
Pharma, spent $500 million marketing this deception and deceit. What 
began in the boardroom of Purdue Pharma executives has spread like 
wildfire into the living rooms, bathrooms and classrooms of families 
seeking pain relief. From 1996 to 2001, the number of oxycodone-related 
deaths nationwide increased 400 percent while the annual number of 
OxyContin prescriptions increased nearly 20-fold. Over the same time 
period, OxyContin brought in $2.8 billion in revenue for Purdue Pharma, 
at one point accounting for 90 percent of the company's sales. Purdue 
heavily promoted OxyContin to unsuspecting doctors, many of whom had 
little training in the treatment of serious pain or in recognizing 
signs of drug abuse in patients.
  To this profit-making scheme came the unsuspecting victim of eastern 
Kentucky. The birthplace of bluegrass music and the rich story of 
Daniel Boone became ground zero in the war against the illegal 
diversion of prescription drugs. Appalachia Kentucky is home to a proud 
people, skilled in the crafts and arts, family-oriented and 
hardworking. It is also home to an aging population, war veterans and 
retirees, tough foresters and miners, living with above average 
unemployment and below average access to healthcare and medical 
information.
  This was a perfect mix for an epidemic. On a per capita basis, our 
drugstores, hospitals, and other legal outlets receive more 
prescription pain-killers than anywhere in the nation. And at one time, 
my region accounted for 25 percent of all OxyContin overdoses in the 
country. Meanwhile, the death-toll continued to rise, topping out at 
nearly 500 Oxy-related deaths nationwide. Lives like Sheriff Sam 
Catron, one of the finest law enforcement officials in Kentucky I've 
ever known, who was cut short by the bullet of an OxyContin addict.
  Today, the President, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Medical Officer 
for the Purdue Frederick Company have plead guilty in Federal court to 
charges of misbranding OxyContin and will pay over $634 million in 
damages. This is tremendous news. I have railed against the marketing 
practices of Purdue in the Appropriations Committee for nearly 7 years 
and I am pleased to see justice served. I applaud the work of the U.S. 
Attorneys from the Western District of Virginia and the Virginia 
Attorney General for their work to bring these criminals to justice.
  This landmark case is a wake-up call for the entire pharmaceutical 
industry, and a warning that deceptive, destructive marketing practices 
will not be tolerated. The ill-gotten gains and greed of drug profits 
will hopefully never again be prioritized over the health-care needs of 
our citizens. Though this sad chapter has finally closed, we must 
continue to be ever vigilant against the scourge of illegal drugs in 
our communities. With wise and robust investments in state-run 
prescription monitoring programs, law enforcement personnel, substance-
abuse counselors, and educators, we can win this war; regain strength 
in our communities, and save lives.

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