Everyone has heard of the opiate epidemic, but did you know how far back it goes? Learn about the people who are really at fault, here.
The opiate epidemic is not a new phenomenon. For more than 20 years, people have been prescribed oxycontin and other medications for pain. Many times, it was by well-intentioned doctors and others it was by greedy physicians who knew a quick way to get cash.
Thousands die from opiate addiction each year and that number continues to climb. As the body count rises, governments crackdown on pharmaceutical companies and doctors, but who is to blame? The fault lies with both physicians and pharmaceutical companies that have profited from the pain and misery of those addicted to the opiates.
How Did the Opiate Epidemic Happen?
It begins with the pharmaceutical companies that developed the various types of pain killers from oxycontin and fentanyl. Morphine has been around for hundreds of years, but the opioid epidemic began with the approval of Oxycontin.
Drug companies want doctors to prescribe their medications, so they led an aggressive campaign to influence doctors to prescribe their pain medications. Doctors took the bait and bean prescribing opiates for pain.
Many were well-intentioned and only wanted to provide relief. The problem is they are used to prescribing medications in units of at least 30 since that’s a month’s worth. Instead of prescribing six pills, they prescribed 30 because it was easier and more efficient.
Other physician recognized the addictive nature of pain killers and knowingly overprescribed to increase their wealth. Once addicted to oxycontin or hydrocodone, people move on to harder drugs like heroin once their prescriptions ran out.
It led some to suboxone detoxification to kick the habit, but it has its own side effects.
Physicians Take Some of the Blame
Many physicians didn’t understand how addictive pain killers can be. Oxycontin was new on the market and doctors don’t want to see their patients in pain.
They over prescribed the medications leaving many patients with leftover pills after the injury was better. There are also those with chronic pain issues that require pain medications just to make it through the day.
Some physicians became prescription mills, doling out prescriptions for cash at doctor’s offices and even local coffee shops. They became medical drug dealers. It’s estimated that 21 percent of people prescribed opiates misuse them.
Big Pharma Are the Major Culprits
Pharmaceutical companies make billions of dollars each year from the sale of the medications. The Food and Drug Administration accused the companies of overstating the safety of the drugs and promoting the drugs for unauthorized uses.
The goal was simple, money. Unlike the doctors who were unaware of the addictive nature of the drugs, the pharmaceutical companies knew all about it and tried to downplay it.
Governmental bodies on the state and federal level are not going after these companies. They’re requiring them to pay fines and work to reduce the epidemic. Even civil litigation is happening by the family members of people whose lives were ruined by opioids.
It’s a Long Road
The opiate epidemic isn’t over and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. It’s only through holding physicians and pharmaceutical companies accountable for what they did to create the epidemic can we hope to lessen it.
For more information about the opioid epidemic, please explore our site.
