Study: Prescription abuse double since '92

[no-see-um]

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http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/07/07/prescription.addiction.reut/index.html

"The report was based on surveys of doctors and pharmacists, personal interviews and focus groups and analysis of national household surveys and census data."

These are the new addictions of this generation... prescription drugs over the illegals of the past. I think that as professionals, we have a duty to address the misconception- the rationalization by teens that anything prescribed in their parents medicine cabinet cannot hurt one too badly- or at least not as bad as the illegal drugs. But, as the article says, this problem is not just confined to teens, but is prevalent amongst people of all types.

 

[crying moo]

I don't know what can be done except for having the DEA crack down on the illegal drug-selling websites, and educating parents on the dangers of rx abuse. But you know, there are just as many adults abusing these drugs as well. How can they regulate something as sneaky as the internet though? They can't even clean up all those Vi@gra! Cheap Xana\x! spams.

I was watching this MTV special about teens and Ritalin (ok I don't really watch TV especially MTV but anyway) One of the stories was about a boy put on Ritalin in high school, and he didn't like it, so he secretly hoarded capsules for a year. After he took the SATs he finally admitted to his mom that he hadn't been taking them and he showed her his drawer full of Ritalin capsules! I was thinkin... "ohh boy... what would the DEA say?" How about the doctors, would they be responsible for making sure that the patient is taking the drug that they prescribe every month?

 

[bananaface]

In WA they could improve stuff by requiring pain contracts and UAs for all Medicaid patients on Oxycontin (or Methadone too) as a condition of prior authorization. There should be an exception for people with chronic cancer pain or in hospice. Most people who sell their stuff use it too, though. They should also outright refuse to pay for brand Oxycontin. The generic has alot lower street value, even though the cost to buy the two at a retail pharmacy isn't terribly different.

 

[crying moo]

Good idea about the brand/generic Oxycontin thing... Is it just my imagination or is it always the shady people insiting on getting "the real thing" Oxycontin or Percocet? People who perhaps are on medicaid but will pay out of pocket for brand? Sometimes I feel like we shouldn't even stock brand, at least in "high risk" areas.

I remember something in class about some opioid being fomulated with the antagonist naloxone. Would that work for the big abusers Oxy, Perc and Vic? If so why hasn't it become a popular concept yet?

 

[stoic]

I remember something in class about some opioid being fomulated with the antagonist naloxone. Would that work for the big abusers Oxy, Perc and Vic? If so why hasn't it become a popular concept yet?

well one problem with this is that you can put a true addict into withdrawl with naloxone. obviously this has medical consequences in and of itself.

 

[kristakoch]

Rememeber nalazone has a very high first pass effect, so when these drugs are taken orally, the nalaxone will do nothing. It's there to prevent the poeple from taking these drugs IV, intranasally and any other route to bypass the first pass effect.

 

[aubieRx]

I dont see how people can stnad to willingly abuse some of these drugs. Codeine always makes me feel like i'm dying. The last time i had it was when my wisdom teeth were out and i felt like i was going to stop breathing.