The messy story behind the series was one of the things showrunner Noah Harpster wanted to do the most, saying ahead of the series’ release: In the final episode they are full of anger.
“We want people to understand that there were moments when this could have been stopped and that it could have gone the other way.”
But what about the central pain reliever drug, OxyContin? After watching this series, viewers will probably wonder what happened to that drug today and if it’s still prescribed.
Keep reading for everything you need to know.
Netflix Painkiller: What is OxyContin?
Whether or not you’ve seen Painkiller, you’ve probably heard about the drama’s central drug. But what exactly is OxyContin?
The drug is a potent semi-synthetic class of drugs used primarily to treat pain, hence the series name ‘Painkiller’. But the US opioid crisis itself is related to the marketing and distribution of OxyContin, a specific opioid that contains oxycodone.
Oxycodone is used to treat moderate to severe pain and chronic pain when other treatments are inadequate.
In 1972, Contin, a controlled release system, was developed by Purdue Pharma, and in 1984 MS Contin, a sustained release formulation of morphine, was launched. MS Contin became the best-selling drug in Purdue’s history, but in the late 80’s the patent was about to expire, so Purdue developed an alternative, OxyContin.
At the time OxyContin was developed, oxycodone was used in other drugs and was cheaper to produce. Oxycodone was found in drugs such as Percodan blended with aspirin and Percocet blended with Tylenol. However, Purdue has developed an oxycodone-only tablet using the sustained release formulation used for MS Contin.
Purdue University developed OxyContin tablets as low as 10 milligrams, but also 80 and 160 milligram jumbo tablets. pain reliever Author Barry Meyer writes, “In terms of drug firepower, OxyContin was a nuclear weapon.”
Purdue Pharma launched OxyContin to the U.S. market in 1996, lauding its key innovation, the 12-hour release of oxycodone. However, abusers of the drug soon devised ways to circumvent its slow release and take large doses at once.
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OxyContin’s marketing at the time, as many thought opioids like oxycodone would be used, meant that the drug would not only be used for end-of-life palliative care and severe pain, but also for the following purposes: It emphasized that it can also be used for “Acute and long-term pain: arthritis, low back pain, sports injuries, fibromyalgia,” outlines Patrick Raden Keef. The family that built an empire of pain.
by series Executive Producer Alex Gibney: “OxyContin is a drug that has some valuable medical uses. It leaked over and over again, and again in communities across North America.”
Netflix Pain Relief: Is OxyContin Still Prescribed?
Yes, OxyContin as a brand is still in use, but with some changes. Over a decade ago, Purdue Pharma reformulated OxyContin with the polymer Intac to make tablets more difficult to crush and dissolve in water. In 2013, the FDA approved OxyContin to be labeled as an “abuse deterrent.”
Researcher at the time said: “The abuse-resistant version of OxyContin uses a physico-chemical barrier to make tablets harder to crush and dissolve, deterring the most dangerous methods of abuse, such as inhalation and injection.”
After OxyContin was reformulated in 2010, abuse of the drug became rampant, and although the new drug could not be crushed or dissolved, Many OxyContin abusers turned to heroin.
according to new york timesheroin overdose rate three times more Years after the launch of the new version of OxyContin.of American Economic Journal: Economic Policy They also found that states with the highest initial OxyContin misuse rates had the highest increases in heroin deaths after reformulation.
The drug, like oxycodone, is still available by prescription in the US and UK, but the use of oxycodone varies from country to country due to legal and national laws.
In the UK, oxycodone is classified as a Class A drug, and trafficking in the drug carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a fine, or both. However, OxyContin continues to be used to treat patients suffering from moderate-to-severe pain resulting from terminal illnesses such as cancer or from recovering from surgery or trauma. uk rehabilitation.
For oxycodone usage, see Overview of the NHS Patients can receive either capsules, standard tablets, sustained-release tablets, or liquids, and patients can start on a low dose and gradually increase until pain is controlled.
Also, “Oxycodone is an opioid pain reliever. It is used to treat severe pain after surgery or serious injury, or pain caused by cancer. Liquid oxycodone, standard tablets, capsules and injections work quickly. These It is used for:” Often used to find the right dose when starting oxycodone for pain that is expected to last for a short period of time. “
It goes on to say, “It’s possible to become addicted to oxycodone, but your doctor will explain how to reduce your risk of becoming addicted.”
“Painkiller” is streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 per month. Netflix is also available at sky glass and virgin media stream.
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