FDA Panel Nixes 'Abuse-Proof' OxyContin
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Todd Zwillich
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May 11, 2008 — A panel of expert advisors to the FDA took a dim view
Monday of efforts by OxyContin's manufacturer to market a new form of
the prescription painkiller designed to cut down on tampering and abuse.

The deliberations were a setback for the firm, Purdue Pharma. It was
stung a year ago when the company and three of its executives pleaded
guilty to illegally hiding the addictive potential of the drug, which is
a narcotic.

The company now wants to sell a new form of the drug coated in a
plastic-like polymer that prevents potential drug abusers from easily
grinding tablets into a fine powder. That makes it hard to snort the
drug or "cook" it for intravenous injection.

Dear Deb,

Thank God for little favors, huh? If I recall correctly Perdue's solution to
the crush and abuse problem was to make it goo when mixed. If the other
companie(s) working on the version with the naltrexone...