Why are doctor's prescribing Oxycontin so easily, and with the abuse going on why hasn't it been -?

Question

continued- why with all the abuse and deaths from them being sold on the streets,has it not been changed to a higher level drug catergory, so it is harder to get a prescription? This bothers me............

after i read some responses i wanted to add- well maybe doctors are more lax on writing out the prescrition here in Mich. I know someone that has people he knows get the script and then turns around to sell it / lots of it. The people he is having get the scripts are not people with chronic pain, or problems that even need the drug. Not sure what to do, but would really like it stopped.......
And it is not as easy as turning someone in / the way it is done , would be hard to catch! And i do know it also has to stop with the abusers, but getting it off the streets would help! In our area, this is a the drug of choice for teens and then they are turning to heroin. Not good!

Answer 1

It depends on who is prescribing it. Anytime a doctor writes a script for Oxycontin, that alerts the DEA to watch him/her. If they give too much, the DEA will suspended them from writing prescriptions until a full investigation is done.

Answer 2

I just finished a unit on opiate analgesics in nursing school, and Oxycodone, or Oxycontin, is actually already a stage 2 drug, meaning it has theraputic effects but a high potential for abuse. Were it to be staged any higher, it would be in the same category as herion, suggesting it has no theraputic effects at all, and still has a great potential for abuse. The problems with abuse are less related to people who do not need the drug getting prescriptions, but with employees stealing from pharmacies or those who are prescribed the drug selling or misusing it, either by snorting or making a suspension and injecting it, which is incredibly dangerous. Oxycodone and any other opiate analgesic is usually not prescribed in adequate enough amounts to become addictive, as healthcare providers are afraid of that very thing. Addiction would really be a pretty rare occurance, unless the patient already has an addictive personality, which the doctor should check for before providing the drug. Again, most of the problems associated with this drug are due to taking the drug through dangerous routes or taking it with other substances that depress the central nervous system, like alcohol or other drugs.

Answer 3

It is very hard to get a prescription so I am not sure what you are talking about. Oxycontin is not something that is just handed out but since it works well for chronic and severe pain expescially with cancer patients etc you see it prescribed more often now. It is like any pain medication that works well.............it gets prescribed when needed for severe pain but then gets abused by people who continue to take it after the initial injury is gone. Also many people who have severe chonic pain are disabled and they may be low on cash and will to cut back on their meds and sell the extras to make money.