Congressional Record - Extension of Remarks
Guilty Plea by Purdue Frederick Company and Top Executives to Misbranding Oxycontin
Hon. Harold Rogers
of Kentucky
In the House of Representatives
Thursday May 10, 2007

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky.

Madam Speaker, 12 years ago a landmark painkilling medicine hit the doorstep of doctor's offices and local pharmacies with the promise of less addiction and less likelihood for abuse. This prescription drug provided a sustained-release mechanism with up to 12 hours of pain relief for a sore thumb or a back ache. This drug was billed as a "safe" alternative without the painful withdrawal symptoms of other opioids and enjoyed an FDA designation of "moderate-to-severe" pain, making it wildly popular among unsuspecting doctors and pharmacists. OxyContin seemed to be the answer for real pain relief.

Today, we know these were lies. The manufacturer of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma, spent $500 million marketing this deception and deceit. What began in the boardroom of Purdue Pharma executives has spread like wildfire into the living rooms, bathrooms and classrooms of families seeking pain relief. From 1996 to 2001, the number of oxycodone-related deaths nationwide increased 400 percent while the annual number of OxyContin prescriptions increased nearly 20-fold. Over the same time period, OxyContin brought in $2.8 billion in revenue for Purdue Pharma, at one point accounting for 90 percent of the company's sales. Purdue heavily promoted OxyContin to unsuspecting doctors, many of whom had little training in the treatment of serious pain or in recognizing signs of drug abuse in patients.

To this profit-making scheme came the unsuspecting victim of eastern Kentucky. The birthplace of bluegrass music and the rich story of Daniel Boone became ground zero in the war against the illegal diversion of prescription drugs. Appalachia Kentucky is home to a proud people, skilled in the crafts and arts, family-oriented and hardworking. It is also home to an aging population, war veterans and retirees, tough foresters and miners, living with above average unemployment and below average access to healthcare and medical information.

This was a perfect mix for an epidemic. On a per capita basis, our drugstores, hospitals, and other legal outlets receive more prescription pain-killers than anywhere in the nation. And at one time, my region accounted for 25 percent of all OxyContin overdoses in the country. Meanwhile, the death-toll continued to rise, topping out at nearly 500 Oxy-related deaths nationwide. Lives like Sheriff Sam Catron, one of the finest law enforcement officials in Kentucky I've ever known, who was cut short by the bullet of an OxyContin addict.

Today, the President, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Medical Officer for the Purdue Frederick Company have plead guilty in Federal court to charges of misbranding OxyContin and will pay over $634 million in damages. This is tremendous news. I have railed against the marketing practices of Purdue in the Appropriations Committee for nearly 7 years and I am pleased to see justice served. I applaud the work of the U.S. Attorneys from the Western District of Virginia and the Virginia Attorney General for their work to bring these criminals to justice.

This landmark case is a wake-up call for the entire pharmaceutical industry, and a warning that deceptive, destructive marketing practices will not be tolerated. The ill-gotten gains and greed of drug profits will hopefully never again be prioritized over the healthcare needs of our citizens. Though this sad chapter has finally closed, we must continue to be ever vigilant against the scourge of illegal drugs in our communities. With wise and robust investments in state-run prescription monitoring programs, law enforcement personnel, substance abuse counselors, and educators, we can win this war; regain strength in our communities, and save lives.