The committee is concerned about the financial ties with producers of the painkillers and has sent letters to numerous academic experts to gather information about their involvement with the producers.

One senator added that the problem of opioid abuse is going from bad to worse and that narcotic painkiller overdoes are an epidemic. The senator added that it is quite clear patients are not getting the entire picture about the risks involved by taking their medications.

Opioids are narcotic painkillers that include drugs such as Fentanyl, Methadone, OxyContin and Vicodin. They are currently the most largely prescribed kind of drug in the U.S. and the prescriptions written for them have increased four times in the past decade.

Some states have more people dying annually from these kinds of overdoses than are killed in highway automobile accidents. The concerns are growing about the significant risks that come from using such drugs over a long period or in high doses.

We understand the opioids can, in fact, be valuable when taken carefully. Some critics believe experts and drug industry organizations have exerted way too much authority over how these drugs have been regulated and how the doctors have perceived them.

One psychiatrist with the Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing group feels these experts and organizations are conducting practices that are promoting harm among patients.

For quite some time the use of such strong opioids was mostly limited to patients with cancer or those near the end of their life.

The senator’s son (Ryan Brubaker) has confessed to police that he raided his family’s medicine cabinet of more than a dozen (17 in fact) prescription painkillers (vicodin) which he then proceeded to give to Glassmyer in exchange for just over a half dozen (7) Xanax tablets. Xanax is a popular anti-anxiety medication. Two days later Glassmyer was discovered dead from a toxic overdose of multiple drugs.

Brubaker’s family posted his $25,000 bail and according to his father, is now in counseling. The senator assured the public that his son would be treated like anyone else coming before the court on such a charge, but asked in the meanwhile for his family to be granted a measure of privacy. The father declared his unwavering love for his son.

The problem of prescription drug abuse is staggering and, as this story reveals, no home is immune. Every family must take responsibility for emptying the home of unused prescription medications and needs to be alert to signs that a child could be ensnared by drug use. Lives are at stake.

QRxPharma has completed initial trials of its MoxDuo CR, which if approved could be available for the public by 2015.

What makes this drug particularly unique is the addiction qualities may be lessened due to the chemical makeup of the new drug. The effectiveness would be decreased if MoxDuo is crushed or dissolved, and then the high would not be the same.

If someone would want to try to smoke or shoot the new proposed pain pill, then the drug would not have the same feeling compared with other pain pills that have been abused.

This is a step in the right direction to attempt to curb the problem of abusing prescription drugs. While it is still several years away from the marketplace, it is good to know that pharmaceutical companies are trying to do what they can to help with the growing prescription drug problem.

Pain pills are an important piece of healthcare and aid in the healing process for patients. What is unfortunate is that these types of medications have become such a mechanism for abuse, which causes medical professionals to jump through additional hoops to be able to prescribe these drugs for their patients.

A task force of government agencies, consumer advocacy groups and insurers gathered in 2007 to form a Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. That group revealed that non-medical use of prescription pain relievers (opioids) occurs at an annual cost of $72.5 billion to the health insurance industry. Insurers are forced to pay for prescription drug abuse when they pay for fraudulent or duplicate prescriptions, hospital visits, resultant health issues and drug rehab. You can bet those costs get passed along to everyone in the form of higher premiums.

The problem of opioid painkiller abuse has risen sharply even since the 2007 report until the national Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labeled it as epidemic in 2011. The rise in abuse means that the costs are also likely much higher today than the alarming figure named in 2007. Prescription pain relievers like oxycodone (most popular one is OxyContin) and hydrocodone (most popular one is Vicodin) are the most frequently abused.

Prescription drug abuse is occurring among people from every age and economic strata. Often people are engaging in a practice known as doctor shopping to feed their habit. Doctor shopping is the practice of seeking out appointments with multiple doctors for a problem and receiving separate prescriptions from each one. Insurance companies estimate that doctor shopping costs them between $10,000 and $15,000 each year in fraudulent payments.

Since insurance companies are contractually required to pay for valid physician prescriptions according to the terms of each health plan, what can be done? A few suggestions are:

• Insurance companies may become more proactive in making certain that doctors take appropriate precautions when prescribing pain relievers. Educating doctors about the dangers of addiction and the possibility of doctor shopping is one possible preventive tool.
• Insurance companies may need to amend prescription policies so that there are limits on prescription refills. Insurers may require in-office doctor visits for prescription renewals.
• Insurance companies may strongly suggest titration or beginning patients with the lowest prescription dose and building only as needed.
• Insurance companies may partner with pharmacies, doctors and even law enforcement in developing a drug monitoring program. Such a program would include a comprehensive database which records each time prescriptions are given and claims are filed to monitor drug prescriptions for patients.

The cost of addiction is high. It is high in terms of human suffering, strain on the health care system and it is certainly high in terms of financial burden upon every citizen.

Dr. Chaim Bell and his colleagues at the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital analyzed data for 391,139 people over 66 years old who undergone minor surgeries, some of which were done on an outpatient basis. Over 27,300 received prescriptions for opiate painkillers. All of them had not taken opioids within the past year before their procedures.

A year later 10% were still using the painkillers, and some of them had moved from minor medications to more powerful drugs like oxycodone and fentanyl.

"Some of this might be due to treating all surgeries the same," said Dr. Bell, a scientist with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. "We’ve always focused on treating patient pain in making sure that we provide proper pain relief, which is a fantastic approach. We don’t necessarily need to treat all postoperative pain with the strongest medications in our arsenal."

The research team found that patients were more likely to be given opiates instead of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, which are available over-the-counter. Dr. Bell said that in the past doctors more often prescribed these rather than the more addictive opiates.

Canada like the United States is in the middle of a prescription painkiller epidemic. The number of opiates consumed since 2000 has more than doubled. In some parts of Canada, provinces are restricting access not only to the opioid painkiller OxyContin, but to its newer version, OxyNEO, which is supposed to be tamper-proof. Addicts are unable to inject the new version. Painkiller abuse is particularly rampant among the native populations of Canada.

A recent study provides new information that may lead to the development of effective medication that will aid in the treatment of drug addiction. The study, led by Raymond Stevens, PhD, a professor at the Scripps Research Institute, has identified the atomic structure of the opioid receptor in the human brain.

The opioid receptor is a molecule that is responsible for many reactions and functions in the brain, including pain, pleasure, depression, addiction and psychosis. The molecule rests on the surface of the brain and binds to opioids.

Dr. Stevens explains that the study’s finding, published in the journal Nature, is a major breakthrough in understanding opioid receptors. The development could help scientists develop medication that is more effective and safe.

The researchers sought to better understand the opioid receptors in the human brain, including gaining information about the roles of mu receptors and kappa receptors, the two types of opioid receptors. Mu receptors mediate feelings of pain-relief and pleasure, while kappa opioid receptors depress mood and produce psychedelic responses when activated.

The researchers knew that if kappa receptors could be impacted in a way that stopped their ability to affect mood and psychedelic experiences, they might be very useful in developing pain-relief medication. When studied in animals, the receptor activators were effective as non-addicting pain-relievers.

These antagonist compounds that activate kappa receptors could be very promising in the treatment for depression, anxiety and other mental disorders. The authors explain that even the activation of psychedelic experiences may provide information about how the brain perceives reality.

Because the structure of the receptors has not been known, scientists have struggled to develop a medication that effectively targets the receptors. There are currently no medications that are designed to target only kappa receptors.

First author of the study Huixian Wu, a graduate student, tested for kappa receptors in insect cells. Wu used X-rays to capture the structure of the receptors. The researchers tried different pharmacological molecules, called "ligands," that bind tightly to the receptor. The researchers locked onto one ligand that was being experimented with as a kappa opioid receptor antagonist. The ligand was effective at stabilizing the kappa receptor.

This discovery led to the researchers being able to X-ray a crystallized protein complex and calculate the model of the atomic structure.

The findings are significant for the development of a possible treatment for drug addiction. With the specific targeting of the kappa receptors, the use of a specific antagonist to activate these receptors could greatly impact the treatment strategies for those with drug addiction.

You can know that you are abusing prescription drugs by answering the following questions:

1. Do you take more medication than is prescribed by the doctor?
2. Do you take the medication more often than is prescribed?
3. Do you take prescription medication(s) for non-medical reasons?
4. Do you take prescription medications in conjunction with alcohol or other types of narcotics?

Though all sorts of medications are capable of misuse, some prescription drugs have become abused more than others

• Opioids: These medications are used as sedatives prior to invasive medical procedures and are used post-operatively to manage pain. Common opioids include: Vicodin, OxyContin, Demerol and Percocet.
• Stimulants: These medications are most often prescribed to counteract the symptoms of ADHD or narcolepsy. Common stimulants are Ritalin, Dexedrine and Adderall.
• CNS Depressants: These medications are ordered to help deal with sleep disorders or anxiety disorders and fall under one of two headings, benzodiazepines or barbituates. Common depressants include Xanax, Nembutal, Ativan, Valium and Librium.

Everything the mother eats, drinks or inhales is shared with the child in utero. Just as life-giving nutrients and oxygen cross the placenta to benefit your baby, any medications that you take will likewise cross over into your baby’s system. What sort of harm prescription medications can have on your baby is sometimes affected by the point in pregnancy during which the drugs are taken. Negative effects that you can expect prescription drugs to have on your baby include:

• Uterine contractions which will limit the baby’s blood flow or cause premature labor.
• Harm to the placenta which is the way nutrition and oxygen are delivered to your baby.
• Negative impact on the baby’s normal development such as birth defects or even miscarriage.

Many mothers find that the months of pregnancy are an opportunity to quit smoking, eat more nutritiously or begin a gentle exercise program. Others decide to give up alcohol during this time because of the potential harm to the delicate life within. When you visit your healthcare provider about your pregnancy you will be asked about your health in general. Talk openly about your abuse of prescription medications. Your physician will be able to support you in breaking free of this habit for your good and the good of your child.

Their concerns are legitimate. On one hand, it is important to treat pain since if left unaddressed, it can lead to reduced function, depression, psychological problems and substance abuse. On the other hand, pain sufferers are at increased risk of prescription drug abuse, addiction and overdose, and require closer monitoring than other patients. So what is an older patient to do? Deal with the pain, or take medication and risk even bigger problems down the road?

A Growing Prescription Drug Problem

A recent study from Canada, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that one in 10 older adults who were prescribed an opioid painkiller after surgery was still filling prescriptions for the drug a year later. Some were taking stronger medications than they’d originally been prescribed. Many patients took opioids even though their procedure (e.g., cataract surgery, gallbladder or prostate tissue removal, and varicose vein stripping) was considered short-stay and low-pain.

Researchers questioned whether an opioid was necessary at all, but particularly a full year after the surgery. Because of the increased risk of addiction and mortality, they cautioned against the use of powerful opioids for patients that haven’t had high-pain surgeries and encouraged physicians to talk to their patients about the drugs’ risks and benefits before prescribing opioids for chronic pain.

Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions among various age groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 15,000 Americans died from prescription painkillers in 2008. The elderly are at particular risk for adverse effects, such as changes in cognitive functioning and balance.

Making the Right Choice for You

When it comes to pain management, each individual has to work with their doctor to make decisions about medication and other treatments that are right for them. If your pain is mild to moderate, you may want to consider using non-opioid alternatives such as anti-inflammatory drugs, diet and exercise, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, counseling and biofeedback.

If you decide to take painkillers or other medications:

• Tell your doctor about any medications you are taking, including prescription, over-the-counter and herbal remedies. Also discuss any special risk factors for addiction such as a personal or family history.
• Do not take a medication without talking about it with your doctor or pharmacist and understanding the possible side effects and drug interactions.
• Know the names and purpose of all medications you are taking as well as how often you should take them and for how long.
• Always take medication as directed by your doctor.
• Never share prescriptions with others or take medications prescribed for someone else.
• Get all of your prescriptions from the same pharmacy.
• Store medications in their original containers with labels that carry identifying information and expiration dates.
• Talk to your doctor if any side effects are bothering you, or if your medicine doesn’t seem to be working as expected.
• At least once or twice a year, ask your doctor or pharmacist to review all of your medications to see if they are still needed.

There is no right or wrong way to manage pain, but it is important to use an approach that relieves pain without making the problem worse. When in doubt, talk to your doctor about all of your options before making these important health care decisions.

The advisory panel is recommending FDA approval for the weight loss drug Qnexa. The FDA has rejected similar weight loss drugs repeatedly – three drugs have been turned down in two years usually over concerns about harmful side effects. Companies who have sought and been denied FDA approval recently include: Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc., Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Vivus. It is Vivus’ drug Qnexa which is being given renewed consideration. A 2010 advisory committee voted 10-6 against approving the drug, but the most recent panel has voted 20-2 in favor of approval. The FDA is by no means required to follow its panels’ suggestions, although it frequently does so.

The concerns over Qnexa are very real. The drug had been rejected for release over negative effects on heart rate along with increased risks of birth defects and psychiatric problems. Almost all weight loss drugs increase heart rate, but FDA officials also worry about potential heart attack and cardiovascular disease. Qnexa is a formulation of two already approved drugs: Phentermine and Topiramate. Phentermine is the medication already approved for weight reduction over short-term. It is an amphetamine and is responsible for the increased heart activity. The second drug, Topiramate, is an anti-seizure medication that is proven to increase the chance of birth defects two-fold.

Usually, studies must be performed prior to a drug’s release so that everyone is fully aware of the risk-benefit ratio. In the case of Qnexa, the advisory panel is ready to recommend that the FDA grant drug approval and then allow the maker (Vivus) to conduct studies after the drug is available on the market. Previous disasters like Fen-Phen and Meridia where drugs had to be pulled off the market due to serious risks make the FDA extremely cautious about moving too quickly toward approval.

This year’s advisory panel has different members than the 2010 panel, but the change in recommendation also heralds the level of concern doctors are feeling about our country’s obesity problem. The weight loss drugs have grave side effects, but obesity also carries serious health risks. That doctors’ are willing to push for the weight loss drug and allow safety checks to follow shows how urgently they feel the need to combat weight problems in the nation. The FDA will decide whether or not to follow the advisory panel’s recommendations in April.

How the Abuse Happens

Part of the abuse comes from young people raiding their parent’s medicine cabinet for whatever prescription drugs may be hanging around. This is a serious problem and one of which parents ought to be aware, but it is far from the only miscreant behavior related to prescription drug abuse. Doctor shopping, in which a person seeks out many prescriptions for the same medication from multiple physicians, is a practice associated with prescription drug abuse. Once in hand, these multiple prescriptions are sold either to individuals or to drug traffickers. Statistics show that the practice of doctor shopping costs individual insurances companies between $10,000-$15,000 annually.

How the Cost of Abuse Gets Passed Along to Non-abusers

Other costs to insurance companies relating to prescription drug abuse come in the form of emergency room visits, drug rehab treatment and the like. These costs to insurance companies were estimated to be $72.5 billion for the year 2007 (the most recent year for which data has been analyzed) and have only gone up in the years since that time. Be assured that those costs get passed along to the rest of us in the form of higher insurance premiums.

Other costs associated with prescription drug abuse come in the form of greater law enforcement or criminal justice costs. These costs have been estimated to be in the vicinity of $8 million per year. Lost productivity in the workplace is another cost to the country. Experts suggest that that cost could be as high as $42 billion each year. These guesstimates were based on figures from 2006/2007. Since prescription drug abuse has escalated since that time, one can only imagine how high such costs to the nation would be today.

Which Prescriptions are Most Abused?

The most often abused prescriptions are painkillers like hydrocodone (aka Vicodin), methadone and oxycodone (aka OxyContin). Sales of these prescription medications have more than tripled just since the year 2000. The availability and abuse of these drugs has become so problematic that the national Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has termed it an epidemic. Today nearly as many Americans will die from a drug overdose as will die in an automobile accident. More than 20,000 of those deaths will be related to prescription drugs. Over 15,000 drug overdose fatalities involved prescription medications in 2008.

There are literally millions of Americans who live with chronic pain and who are dependent upon prescription painkillers in order to maintain their quality of life. The medications should be available for them. However, stronger safeguards, such as Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs in which prescriptions to patients are tracked through an online database, need to become the norm if we are to halt the spread of this terrible epidemic.