Canada - Minister won't interfere with generic OxyContin approval

S.J.B.

S.J.B.

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Minister won't interfere with generic OxyContin approval
CBC
November 19th, 2012

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq has written her provincial and territorial counterparts to say she won't interfere in the regulatory approval process for a generic form of OxyContin.

Health Canada is adding new licensing rules to attempt to prevent abuse of the powerful painkiller. Manufacturers and/or distributors of the drug will have to report spikes in sales and changes in distribution patterns, in addition to the department’s current requirements to report loss and theft.

“It should not be up to politicians to determine which drugs should be approved for medical use,” she wrote. "While intentions may be noble in this instance, what stops future politicians from caving in to public pressure and allowing unproven, unsafe drugs on the market once political pressure starts to mount?"

"It's a recipe for disaster for politicians to get involved in approving drugs," the minister told reporters at a press conference in Ottawa on Monday morning. "If we start with OxyContin, what's next?"

Aglukkaq notes that there is no basis in the Food and Drug Act to withhold approval when a drug is considered safe for its recommended use based on its scientific review. "The law does not permit approval to be withheld on the basis of misuse," she wrote.
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Read the full story here.

Wow, I didn't except her to side with the generics. Purdue will not be happy!
 
This is a good thing! ... Right?

It is hard to tell. I am happy to see that the people in charge are not falling victim to pharmaceutical persuasion. I can't be sure, but I can imagine perdue having had their ability to sell the original oxycontin pulled would be furious that generic manufacturers will be able to cash in on the massive wake left by the original perdue-contin.
It is well known that many legitimate pain patients are incredibly unhappy with the new perdue oxy. I have heard of basically only problems (though it makes sense that pain patients AREN'T hitting the message boards to rave about how GOOD the new oxy is, I am sure some have noticed no change)
With the massive flux of heroin and fentanyl abuse in areas without access to pre-dosed oxy's, it will be a good thing for the addicts to have access to oxy again. (recreational/addicts that is)
As soon as oxy went away I dealt with a few sad funerals and heard dozens of stories from people I know who (ab)use the methadone program.
"Hey, haven't seen Ted in the clinic for a while, he clean?" "Nah, flopped out, Ted's dead... You know where to find some patch, man?"
My most local methadone clinics were overwhelmed with the massive amount of people, young and old, who decided to give in to the methadone program so that they can have their daily dose in the morning and then hit the street to find some smack, hydromorphone or fentanyl. They are all saving money and continuing to get high. Everyone I know who used the clinic continues to use street opiates and I think this would be different if oxy wasn't taken away from them. There are MILLIONS of opiate addicts in the world, it is time to stop treating it like a burden, it has been this way since the beginning of time! (and the methadone program is fucked, I don't think they are managing properly.)
 
So does this mean we're going to get our good old OCs back? (Canada here)

I have read a few of the articles and can't quite figure out what this means for the average person...
 
Well atleast chronic pain patients who can't get oxyneo covered or can't afford it can get Oxycontin again. Doctors will more then likely be looked at with very close scrutiny if they prescribe it though which will make them very hesitant to give it out.

Good thing i don't care much for oxy anyway :\
 
kaywholed said:
haha.

so make oxy cheaper...

shit is gonna flood the streets again.
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Well it's not like oxycodone ever went away. Oxycodone IR's are still prescribed quite abit and i always liked those more then the contins anyway. Id still rather morphine or hydromorphone anyday but oxy is good for when you want a pill you can just eat and have it kick in fast.
 
i thought oxyneo was the new thing in canada and was unsuitable for snorting (which I think was thing biggest abuse problem).
 
9mm censor said:
haha.

so make oxy cheaper...

shit is gonna flood the streets again.
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I'm not sure if cheap oxy will affect rates of consumption a great deal. It's not like oxy was ever very cheap in comparison to comparable opioids.

ebola
 
Another article here...
Excerpts:

"The law does not permit approval to be withheld on the basis of misuse," she said, asking the public to also consider the needs of patients with chronic pain. Her refusal to get involved in the process opens the door for generic oxycodone to win approval in Canada after the patent for the brand-name OxyContin expires on Nov. 25.
...
The provinces already have several ways to prevent oxycodone and other opiates from being abused, Aglukkaq said. Provinces have jurisdiction over doctors, pharmacists and the prescription system, she said. And if provincial authorities bring forward proof that doctors and pharmacists are enabling abuse, Health Canada can take action under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, she added.
...
In her letter and remarks, Aglukkaq zeroed in on claims from Matthews that "streets would be flooded" with the generic form of the drug if it is approved. "With respect, that could only occur if the provinces and territories, and the medical professions they regulate, let it happen," she said. Plus, banning just one drug won't solve the problem of prescription drug abuse, she warned. "Banning a generic version of one drug would do little to solve the actual problem," Aglukkaq said her letter.
...
Indeed, Aglukkaq says Ottawa will tighten licensing rules so that distributors of oxycodone have to keep better track of where the drug goes. Starting in 2013, they will need to report spikes in sales and changes in distribution patterns, in addition to previous responsibilities to report losses and theft. And if the provinces eventually find that they still can't sufficiently control oxycodone, then Aglukkaq says she would be open to new regulations to further restrict prescribing and dispensing of the drug. Ottawa could set up a regime that could place extra controls on who can prescribe or dispense potentially addictive drugs. It already has a similar arrangement for methadone.
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kaywholed said:
no. it doesn't matter which bullet goes in your head, .45 - .357 magnum - or 7.62 ... the end result is the same.... opiate addiction.
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I agree with you, but still, Fentanyl addiction seems to be one of the shittiest opiate addictions ever, having to redose multiple times a day/night.
 
Fentanyl is clearly a worse choice. As mentioned, it has to be dosed over and over again, not only can that open up more possibilities for disease/damage while shooting but it makes for an ungodly amount of syringes, or syringes being reused again and again. Vaping/smoking fent is pretty bad too, that shit will rot the teeth out of your head fast (I know of people under 30 without a tooth in their head from smoking fent) Fentanyl has a really bad dosage curve from pleasantly high>dead. Fentanyl is guess work, you have to cut/extract the patch yourself and hopefully get the right amount. Fent is often cut into 1/4 or half patches and therefore kept outside of the protective foil/in the hands of idiots for extended periods of time (I have seen a patch with a good section of the adhesive/fent rubbed over onto another part of the patch, therefore making weak and hot spots) The withdrawal also sounds terrible!

heroin is a similar situation, self dosed, in the hands of idiots, various strengths etc. For the people who used to use oxy as their drug of choice and felt the need to move to fentanyl or heroin, I hope they can manage their problem or at least switch back to oxy which is pre dosed.

As mentioned before, there are several other types of oxycodone prescribed, but, I have noticed that the oxycontin tabs were much more prevalent on the streets. I in fact have never seen another type of oxycodone on the street (aside from percs) it seems that maybe the IR pills are sold in a more tightly nit group of pill injectors. I know that severe addicts were pissed off with the fad created amongst young people for oxy who would eat it or snort it and then puke all night while real junkies struggled to find it as the price went up for all the pop-collared yuppie kids.
 
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