https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/08/drug-crisis-distributor-apologizes-large-opioid-shipments/589760002/
This article was published yesterday and talks about the role opioid distributors have played in the epidemic happening in West Virginia. A top executive at one of these distribution companies apologized on Tuesday for "his company's failure to stop sending painkillers to two West Virginia pharmacies", but later said that he doesn't think that his company's actions contributed to the epidemic. For a bit of context, these two pharmacies that Cardinal Health shipped pills to, are the focus of a congressional investigation.
Some of the numbers from this article are staggering:
- between 2007 and 2012, distributors sent more than 780 million hydrocodone and oxycodone into West Virginia, which roughly equals 433 pills for every man, woman and child in the state, congressional investigators say. During that time, 1,728 West Virginians fatally overdosed on those two drugs.
- Investigators discovered that a single pharmacy in Mount Gay-Shamrock, population 1,779, received more than 16.5 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills between 2006 and 2016. In nearby Williamson, population 2,900, distributors sent almost 21 million opioids to two pharmacies during that same period.
Looking at these numbers, I just don't see how pharmaceutical distributors can say that they did not contribute to the epidemic in some way. Do you guys think that it is the responsibility of these companies to stop sending to pharmacies that may be problematic? Or is it the responsibility of the government to put regulation in place to prevent these companies from flooding communities with painkillers?
It is very tough to put someone at blame. There are many costs and benefits of providing prescription painkillers, which is what makes the opioid epidemic so difficult to contain.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to think these companies were just responding to a high demand for the product without realizing what was happening, but it is hard to imagine their perspective would be so limited for so long. I think it starts with the physicians themselves; if they show integrity with their prescriptions then it makes it easier for oversight to create a solution that ends with those that actually need these pills receiving them without unnecessarily prescribing to so many people.
ReplyDeleteI would also hope that these pharmaceutical companies were unaware of their role in perpetuating the Opioid Crisis, but as you also mentioned, it is hard to believe that these companies could be so limited in their perspective for so long.
DeleteThis is very interesting. I think it falls on big pharma companies to track their products and the areas that they go to. If this article can track the amount of pills going to this area and the amount of drug related deaths, big pharma can do the same. I agree with Josh that there are other people to blame in this situation as well, but I think big pharma can do more to help with this situation
ReplyDeleteI agree with Josh. I think much of this occurred because doctors were prescribing with such high volume that the pharmaceutical companies had to react with a high supply of drugs.
ReplyDeleteI think that distributors were definitely profit-driven, which is to expect in this market. As seen in the Public Sector Economics class, some markets deal with issues that are too big and important and ought to be regulated or provided by the government. I think that opioid provision and healthcare in general is one of those markets.
ReplyDeleteIn the latest reading, American Pain mentioned if Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) decides that the amount of oxydone being made exceeds the needs, it can reduce the drug's production. But they did not do so. Sometimes government just turn a blind eye to the market.
ReplyDeleteI think the responsibility falls both on the shoulders of the big pharma companies and the government. The big pharma companies might have just responded to the booming market but should've had more awareness to how dangerous these drugs were. Also, the government knowing the reality of the situation needs to better regulate the drug distribution.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that there are many different parties that should be held responsible, including big pharma and the government. Every company should reflect on what they do effects everyone as a whole. Sadly they don't. Thats why there are safeguards put in place such as regulation laws and government departments for many industries such as oil and manufacturing.
DeleteThe responsibility, in my opinion, falls in the hands of the doctors overprescribing, as well as the pharma company salesmen pushing their products. The blame falls on both sides, and all of it has to do with money.
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