Dear Cynn, and Lists,

This is total propaganda, again the DEA and this politician have no
medical background. Let me simplify:

1. Oxycontin is less addictive; the nature of what we consider
addictive lies in the short acting forms such as Percodan,
Tylox, et al where "peaks and valleys" occur--the true
benefit of Oxycontin was NO ups and down; no thrills.
2. Who gives a rat's a--s about what the DEA's opinion is,
their opinion is monetary and power based; it has nothing
medical at all in it's nature; they do not employ physicians
they are LAW ENFORCEMENT.
3. With no disrespect intended the POLITICIAN goes a notch
below for his saving grace is re-election, potential votes,
and clearly this is more media hype.

If you check the stats thousands are ALIVE in NIP due to Oxycontin
and other LA medications of this class. This drug is a hallmark for RSDers
it does for some reason MORE than morphine like or type medications of
a LA nature. In fact in my case a combination of Oxycontin and Duragesic
for LA, and Dilaudid must be utilized my case is so severe. My SNS is
totally GONE now; so the feedback loop goes directly to the CNS which
says continual "fight or flight" and due to this I can die from pain.

Terminal or malignant for some of us would seem a blessing, but in
today's DEA warehousing of those in pain recategorizing us as addicts
which is medical malpractice for those with medical licenses guess the
good ole gun boys get away with it, and now ALL in PAIN dying or not,
and yes many in NIP ARE DYING FOLKS should suffer, die quicker what
gives with this?

Hmm perhaps these DEA people are also invested heavily in the
life insurance business ya'll think. I'm sorry this is a cut below the belt
and for me I'd say to all the DEA "Lets Bobbit dudes" and get on with
the living, with those who can have quality of life and not get high from
proper pain management.

Peace to all,

Karen G.



In a message dated 5/18/2005 8:28:49 PM Central Daylight Time,
cyn999@... writes:
An excellent example of propaganda in the Boston Herald on Tuesday.
Write and tell Mr. Lynch (or B.Herald) just how wrong he is - here:

http://www.heraldinteractive.com/contactus/index.bg




OxyContin's dangers outweigh its benefits
http://news.bostonherald.com/opinion/view.bg?articleid=83392

By Stephen F. Lynch
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Last week, in response to mounting problems with the painkiller OxyContin, I
filed legislation in Congress to withdraw its Food and Drug Administration
approval and remove it from the market. While the bill received a robust
response
from both supporters and opponents, there remains considerable
misunderstanding as to the nature of the OxyContin threat.

This product is one of the most addictive substances to be sold legally
in the United States. It is more addictive than cocaine and second only to
heroin in addictiveness among narcotics. The premise of my legislation is that
the drug is so inherently addictive that it is unsafe for the general population
to whom it is being marketed and prescribed.

As originally approved, OxyContin was supposed to be for end-stage
cancer patients and others with severe and escalating pain - those people for
whom
the drug's addictive propensity was balanced by the extreme circumstances of
the patient. Because of its overpowering addiction rate, the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency described OxyContin as a painkiller of last resort.

However, as the Government Accountability Office has reported, Purdue
Pharma has aggressively expanded the market for OxyContin to include patients
who suffer from mild to moderate and intermittent pain related to broken bones,
dental discomfort and lower back pain. In stunning testimony, a former
district manager for Purdue Pharma in West Virginia disclosed that the company
instruc
ted sales reps to tell doctors ``it is `virtually' non-addicting.''

As a result of Purdue Pharma's reckless marketing of OxyContin, the
number of prescriptions exploded, and by 2003 nearly half of all OxyContin
prescriptions were being written by primary care doctors, not pain management
specialists.

The FDA issued three warning letters to Purdue Pharma about its unlawful
marketing representations in May 2000, August 2001 and January 2003. In the
last letter, Thomas Abrams, director of the FDA Division of Drug Marketing,
Advertising and Communications, stated: ``Your journal advertisements are
misleading because they make prominent claims of effectiveness for pain relief,
but
omit from the body of advertisements crucial facts related to the serious,
potentially fatal safety risks associated with the risks of OxyContin to be
abused, and the limitations on its appropriate indicated use.''

Meanwhile, it appears the incidence of OxyContin addiction is going off
the charts. Fifty-six percent of all OxyContin addictions have occurred in
patients who were legally prescribed the drug.

My legislation would be unnecessary if manufacturer Purdue Pharma, which
derives 80 percent of its profit from this one drug, took mitigating steps
without congressional pressure.

It could, for instance, redesign the drug with a lower addiction rate
and build in precautions to prevent OxyContin's time-release feature from being
overridden and abused. The manufacturer could provide consistent label
warnings as to OxyContin's addictive characteristics, and cease and desist its
aggressive marketing of the drug by salespeople and ``detailers'' to primary
care
physicians. By restricting the distribution chain to specialists at pain clinics
and hospitals, and by limiting the conditions for which OxyContin may be
prescribed, the dangers could be greatly diminished.

Finally, Purdue Pharma should become more engaged in research and
rehabilitation efforts aimed at treating those with OxyContin addictions. But
until
we see meaningful steps to make OxyContin safer, I have no other option than
to seek its removal.

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch of South Boston is the ranking Democrat on the House
subcommittee on regulatory affairs.


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Karen Hallenbeck-

Karen Hallenbeck-Sikorsky-George BS,RN,UM,QC

http://hometown.aol.com/anewplanforyou
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Owner-Moderator
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"ADayWithoutPain"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnAnGeLInPain
"AnAnGeLInPain"

Ya'll are special you truly are, and to be the
catalyst for this group is a miracle for I know
in my heart that God's will created this group(s)
and each of you are very very special to me, always
no matter what I AM SO PROUD to a "part of" what
this family has become..AND WILL BE!!!!
Interqual Certified
Published Psychiatric Researcher
Advocate for those in CIP, HIV, Psychologic Pain
"A Higher Power is necessary to find the ability to withstand self
destruction.."


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