US corporate pushers

[JimC]

The standard image from conservative USA is all about evil drugs, evil drug users, and evil drug pushers (usually black...)

The reality is somewhat different. Wealthy corporate America is being sued for deliberately causing a hurricane of opioid addiction, mostly affecting poor Americans...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-19/ ... y/10910916

[pErvinalia]

Bit ridiculous. It's up to doctors to manage patients access to the drug. Millions of people (including me) take the drug without getting addicted.

[rainbow]

[Hermit]

It's up to doctors to manage patients access to the drug.

Yes indeed. That's why the pharmaceutical sales teams target doctors. Thousands of them and their partners finish up in places like the Bahamas for a couple of weeks to attend an all expenses paid medical conference consisting of two seminars if they meet certain sales targets. Other incentives are provided for smaller sales achievements.

Millions of people (including me) take the drug without getting addicted.

No surprise there. The article says that "The actual rate of addiction is difficult to determine, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated as many as one in four long-term prescription opioid users struggle with addiction." So, yeah, there's only a 25% chance of becoming addicted to OxyContin. Still pretty high, don't you think?

Purdue claimed in its sales pitch that there was only a 1% chance. Looks like major dishonesty to me. There is no doubt in my mind that pharmaceutical companies do push drugs for the sake of maximising profits, and may ethics take the hindmost.

[pErvinalia]

That false advertising is a problem (if they knew it had a higher addiction rate). Regarding the bit about doctors and perks... only highlights the problem is doctors, not the drug manufacturer.

[rainbow]

That false advertising is a problem (if they knew it had a higher addiction rate). Regarding the bit about doctors and perks... only highlights the problem is doctors, not the drug manufacturer.

Of course the majority of those taking long term opioids, are not addicted. They simply choose to take them 'cos they like the buzz.

[Hermit]

Regarding the bit about doctors and perks... only highlights the problem is doctors, not the drug manufacturer.

Yeah. Right. Offering bribes to increase sales/profits isn't a problem and even if it is it certainly can not be described as pushing drugs.

[JimC]

That false advertising is a problem (if they knew it had a higher addiction rate). Regarding the bit about doctors and perks... only highlights the problem is doctors, not the drug manufacturer.

The manufacturers put constant advertising pressure on the doctors, while fully knowing that the addiction potential was there. Without removing blame from doctors, there's plenty left for corporate profiteers...

You may be one of the lucky ones who can get the benefit without the addiction. Perhaps future DNA research will allow doctors to pre-test for addiction potential. Unless the research is sabotaged by big pharma, of course...

[pErvinalia]

Regarding the bit about doctors and perks... only highlights the problem is doctors, not the drug manufacturer.

Yeah. Right. Offering bribes to increase sales/profits isn't a problem and even if it is it certainly can not be described as pushing drugs.

No one is forcing the doctors to take the perks. Again, that they do is their problem, not the manufacturer.

[pErvinalia]

That false advertising is a problem (if they knew it had a higher addiction rate). Regarding the bit about doctors and perks... only highlights the problem is doctors, not the drug manufacturer.

The manufacturers put constant advertising pressure on the doctors, while fully knowing that the addiction potential was there. Without removing blame from doctors, there's plenty left for corporate profiteers...

You may be one of the lucky ones who can get the benefit without the addiction. Perhaps future DNA research will allow doctors to pre-test for addiction potential. Unless the research is sabotaged by big pharma, of course...

The concept of chemical addiction isn't well supported, as far as I know. Addiction is highly correlated with social well being. Poor well being leads to higher levels of drug addiction. In my case, perhaps my higher level of rationality compared to the average loser affords me some protection from potential addiction.

[pErvinalia]

Having said that, I can definitely see the possibility of me becoming addicted to them. They really are fucking great.

[Rum]

I know myself and I know I’m prone to addiction. I grew up as an anxious kid and anything that lowers that level of anxiety can be attractive to me and potentially addictive. So I have to control my intake. I ration alcohol and avoid drugs (these days), though when I do have access I’m reminded how much I’m pulled towards them. For example my mother was given half a dozen Valium a year or so ago to help her with claustrophobia when she had a scan. She didn’t use them and gave them to me, I took three of them in a day, felt great but threw the others out!

I think medics pushing certain brands is less of an issue these days - freebies from drug companies seem much more frowned upon. But I’m sure when I was prescribed Ativan, while going through a divorce in my late 20s and got hooked the GP was insistent that they were being ‘advertised’ as not as habit forming as traditional benzodiazepines. What bollocks. The cold turkey I went through to quit after taking them for two and a half years was one of the worst experiences of my life.

[laklak]

I'm not an addict, I can quit the Mexican brown heroin any time I want to. i just don't want to.

[Cunt]

If opium based drugs are spread over a huge area (like the USA) and 'addiction' (whatever the fuck THAT is) turns up in different amounts, could you pin it on geography?

My guess is (not really MY guess) that it is based more in misery than in substance.

There are strong links between unemployment in a given area, and the devastation caused by opium (or gin, or whatever) ripping people apart.

So still laid at the feet of corporate pushers, but not in exactly the same way.

[Rum]

I remember the Dawktor telling me once that during his brief (and much hated) stint as a GP, drug companies would offer places on holidays and the like, thinly disguised as ‘conferences’ in warm and sunny locations. A practice I believe that has been stopped now. They would hardly have offered jollies like that with no expectation of a return on their investment.