Insurer Group Advocates Stricter Guidelines for Oxycontin

By Gary Mogel

NU Online News Service, August 11, 10:30 a.m.EDT?The National Association of Independent Insurers,based in Des Plaines, Ill., has announced its support of statelegislative initiatives to establish stronger guidelines fordistribution of the prescription pain killer Oxycontin.

According to NAII, Oxycontin, which is manufactured by Stamford,Conn.-based Purdue Pharma, was originally approved by the federalFood and Drug Administration to treat severe pain for terminalcancer patients, but is now prescribed widely as a painkiller forother ailments.

In the workers' compensation system, it ranks as the second mostprescribed drug in terms of dollars spent, right behind Celebrex,an anti-inflammatory.

"In some states, including California and Oregon, Oxycontinrepresents about 10 percent of the workers' compensationprescription costs in those states," said NAII vice president,workers' compensation Nancy Schroeder. Abuse of the drug hasescalated, in part, because of its huge resale potential andbecause it provides an effect similar to heroin when ground beforetaking.

According to Ms. Schroeder, some NAII member companies cited alarge increase in the number of prescriptions for Oxycontin andinstances where the drug was prescribed to individuals with ahistory of addiction problems.

"In some states, such as Florida, deaths from prescription drugoverdoses are higher than deaths from overdoses of cocaine andheroin," Ms. Schroeder said. "Abuse of oxycodone and hydrocodone,the generics of Oxycontin, continue to rise along with a surge inmethadone abuse," she added.

"The dilemma in all of this is how to stop the abuse whileallowing those workers that legitimately need the drug for painrelief to get it."

Ms. Schroeder noted that no state is currently actively lookingat Oxycontin guidelines, as the issues surrounding the drug arerelatively new.