This week on CounterSpin: Opioids can be a lifesaver for some people with severe pain. But the overuse and abuse of powerful drugs like oxycodone is driving what the Centers for Disease Control says is an epidemic in this country, with some 16,000 overdose deaths from prescription opioids a year. But when the CDC pushed for non-binding guidelines encouraging doctors to seek alternatives where possible, the opioid industry, which made $9 billion last year, pushed back.
Who’s shaping the media story around what looks like a dispute between industry and regulators, in which the public interest —and public health—hang in the balance? Investigative journalist Lee Fang has been tracking the story; he’ll join us to talk about what’s going on behind the scenes.
Transcript: ‘Pharmaceutical Companies Have Pressured Doctors, Suppressed Evidence’
As usual, we take a look back at recent press, including AP‘s premature call of the Democratic primaries, Larry Summer’s recession expertise and the death of Muhammad Ali.
SOURCE LINKS:
- “Congress Boosts Rehab but Gives Opioid Pushers a Pass,” by Lee Fang (Intercept, 5/31/16)
- “Makers of OxyContin Bankroll Efforts to Undermine Prescription Painkiller Reform,” by Lee Fang (Intercept, 12/23/15)
- “‘You Want a Description of Hell?’: OxyContin’s 12-Hour Problem,” by Harriet Ryan, Lisa Girion and Scott Glover (LA Times, 5/5/16)
This is not ‘a uniquely American crisis’. It’s in the UK too.
Listening to your interview was like hearing talking points from how my mum was treated.
Opioids were being pushed on her in large doses for anything and everything.
She lived in a retirement area and on visits I heard rumours of the same from neighbours.
When I resisted I was accused by the head of the health practice of wanting to see my mum in pain.
He and his subordinates also downplayed the risk of addiction to absurd levels, for instance saying that he’d seen ‘people on huge dosages with no problems at all’.
Will FAIR step off the new drug abuse bandwagon a moment and investgate also the big hidden story about how many “opioid overdoses” involved alcohol as well? I’ll drink to that! Thnx
This podcast no longer downloads in iTunes. Did you change the format?
WHAT was used as medicine in 1914 to replace the Rx Heroin medicine? What can replace the Rx drug Oxycontin and all Rx Opiates? Until this knowledge is taught, we pain Patients will suffer using this very damaging drugs…..Doctor Grinspoon MD wrote about this Replacement of Heroin in His Book, about what American Doctors used to replace Rx Heroin medicine…in 1914. Now we see many Studies show that the World may Not be abusing these Rx Opiates, for they learned this safer way that is in Dr Grinspoon’s Book. So go Google it and SEE What was used to REPLACE HEROIN MEDICINE….I did it 11 yrs ago with this Medicine,,,THAT IS NOT an OPIATES drug…..Thanks for your views….I hope others in Pain can learn what I have…I am disabled 100 % with 5 lower back Surgeries, and 3 lower Disc out of my spine, I need 5 more to come out in my Life time….Not a Surgery I want , but may need…..This is what my Medical Reports say….