newly released data tracked every legal opioid in America and the number are quite shocking in half a decade these companies sold 76 billion pills.
The new details come from a database maintained by the Drug Enforcement Administration that tracks the path of every single pain pill sold in the United States. They show that just six companies distributed 75 percent of the pills during this period. The companies say they were working to supply the needs of patients with legitimate prescriptions desperate for pain relief, but they are now facing thousands of suits over their actions. The information was released following a yearlong legal battle by The Washington Post and HD Media, publisher of the Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia.
A yearlong legal battle waged by The Washington Post and HD Media, publisher of the Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia, resulted in a ruling Monday releasing government data tracking sales of billions of opioid pills in the U.S. from 2006 to 2012. The data in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Automation of Reports and Consolidated Order System, known as ARCOS, reveals what each company knew about the number of pills it was shipping and dispensing and precisely when they were aware of those volumes, year-by-year, town-by-town. (Davis and Abelson, 7/16)
This means that the government was aware too and how did they respond? What did they do to stop this?
I think one of the lawsuit currently is about drug companies lying about the addictive nature of opioids even though their own testing showed they were highly addictive.
This was accounted for during two different administrations so both sides are complicit in this. It makes you wonder if the Presidents during each time period were being advised as to what was happening?
I’d like to hear from Bush and Obama as to why they didn’t attempt to stop this from happening under their watch? It would seem to be well with in their ability to do so?
The OxyContin mess started back in the 90’s. The stories of 'Hillbilly Heroin" go back to Clinton administration.
What a lot of the problem is in my opinion is that over time organizations that control and monitor drugs like the FDA, the CDC, and and the NIH have been stripped of funding and any power having real teeth to deal with drugs like this.
This is a systemic failure that cannot be laid at the feet of any person or any party but on we as a nation of having our priorities completely screwed up when it comes to dealing with drug addiction.
I hold everyone responsible for the decisions they make and all of those who were aware of the damage being done to our society, while at the same time, accepting money from the source of this devastation. All should be exposed, condemned and voted out of office by their consitituents. It is my hope that all voters feel the exact same way.
