After over 14 years of Purdue hype on the drug that has been implicated in more addictions and deaths than any drug approved by the FDA in history my term "The Hoax of OxyContin" will be clarified.  The drug has been a marketing hoax since the Medical Review Officer for the FDA, Curtis Wright,  recommended approval of OxyContin and shortly thereafter went to work for Purdue after the drug's official approval.

It is widely accepted that the active ingredient in OxyContin, oxycodone, can be interchanged for the addictive results of heroin. In other words, Purdue ingeniously put a dangerous narcotic from the opium plant that has been the scourge of man and communities since the plant's discovery over 5000 years ago into a "magic pill".  Purdue then ingeniously found a man in the FDA who signed off on the dangerous pill after only two weeks of a "clinical study" on chronic pain.  http://www.purduepharma.com/PI/Prescription/Oxycontin.pdf  There is no question that oxycodone's side effect is to eliminate pain.  Heroin was originally marketed legally over 100 years ago for cough and pain.  Purdue duplicated much of the marketing techniques Bayer used for heroin starting in 1898.

Since OxyContin was approved addictions, deaths and reported overdose from the opioid related drugs has continued to increase.  Disability claims are rising dramatically.  The number of people reporting family members who are addicted are received by the radio show regularly.  The banoxycontin  http://www.banoxycontin.com site continues to grow in visitors despite the media not understanding what I believe started the silent epidemic of our growing drug culture.

The hoax has nothing to do about pain.  OxyContin is only a brand of oxycodone and not a miracle drug as the Purdue hype wants all to believe.  The exploitation of those in absolute need of serious pain relief has to stop and it can only be done by taking OxyContin out of the equation.  Purdue has proven they have been irresponsible in the selling of a proven dangerous drug with no proof that it is superior to any other drug entity available.  The leaders of the FDA need to be exposed for allowing the hoax of OxyContin to continue and the truth about the addictive and dangerous subsequences from using OxyContin and the opioids for chronic pain need to be revealed.  The FDA needs to be asked why they remained silent on Sept 24th when it was asked why the newest OxyContin formulation was being considered when there were no heating studies on the product.  http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/Drugs/AnestheticAndLifeSupportDrugsAdvisoryCommittee/UCM187082.pdf (page 160 -  line 120) Partnership for a Drug Free America should be scrutinized by the American press why they have accepted funds from Purdue, a convicted felon.  The hoax is so huge the press collectively does not want to believe they could be so fooled.

From my personal experience, I have only witnessed people deteriorate when on OxyContin for long periods of time.  For people who have no long term hope of improving, a team of doctors should be required to make the decision when opioid therapy is necessary.  The decisions can easily be made without the Purdue marketing and OxyContin.

For more:  go to http://www.banoxycontin.com  and visit Face Book - The BaN Oxycontin group.