According to John Fauber of the Journal Sentinel, "Prescriptions for narcotic painkillers soared so much over the last decade that by 2010 enough were being dispensed to medicate every adult in the United States around-the-clock for a month." What else happened during the last ten years? During the past decade almost 100,000 Americans overdosed and died because of opioid abuse, and millions more are battling addiction. In the face of this troubling news, it's high time to take a look at the financial consequences of using painkillers.
First, let's take a look at the major factors influencing the abuse of painkiller pills.
The Big Picture
Painkillers, commonly referred to as pain relievers, pain medications, opiates, and "pills," are medically classified as analgesic drugs. They can be sub-classified as narcotic analgesics (like morphine, codeine, methadone, and oxycodone) or non-narcotic analgesics (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and diclofenac.) Some narcotic analgesics,like Percodan, Percocet, Roxicet, Vicodin, Lorcet, and Lortab, combine an opioid with aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.
As mentioned previously, over the last decade there has been a dramatic increase in the use and abuse of painkillers. These drugs are readily available. Many children get them from the family medicine cabinet or the local drugstore. Painkiller pills are heavily marketed leading to increased awareness of their availability. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, painkiller pills kill five times as many people as heroin and almost twice as many as cocaine. More people overdose on these drugs every year than die from heroin and cocaine combined. 15,000 people die annually, enough that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have determined that the abuse of painkillers is a public health epidemic. This addiction is an out-of-control epidemic, not caused by a virus or a bacteria, but rather a marketing campaign that drug companies have used to change the way physicians treat pain.
The Bottom Line
Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance opened a bipartisan investigation into financial relationships between the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture narcotic painkillers and the assorted nonprofit groups that promote the drugs for pain treatment. It's past time we take a serious look at the financial implications of the current situation. What exactly are the financial consequences of using painkillers?
Addicts/Abusers
The cost of addiction is difficult to quantify. What is the value of a human life? Someone
addicted to painkillers can spend lots of money to get drugs. This leads to conflicts with friends and loved ones. Many addicts neglect their financial responsibilities. The longer they abuse painkiller pills, the worse it gets; as they build a higher tolerance, they need more pills.
Additionally, the cost of medical treatment for people abusing and misusing painkillers is astounding. Most of these people receive their treatment in emergency rooms, so you must account for the ER costs. Then you have outpatient therapy, the treatment itself, and support groups--all of which cost money.
Because some people get their painkillers illegally, you must factor in the financial cost of illicit activity. To be clear, this could include everything from court costs and legal fees, to bail, fines, and the expenses associated with employing law enforcement and judicial personnel.
Drug Companies
Prominent drug manufacturers like Purdue Pharma, Johnson &, and Johnson and Endo Pharmaceuticals have come under fire amidst allegations of improper financial influence and aggressive marketing. There is no doubt that pharmaceutical firms are getting rich on painkiller pills. According to drug market research firm, IMS Health, sales on prescriptions of opioid drugs totaled $8.4 billion in 2011, up from $5.8 billion in 2006.
Doctors/Medical Professionals
Although many doctors and medical professionals are conscientious and prescribe pain pills only when absolutely needed, there are some doctors who are paid to speak and consult for drug companies. These doctors make money on the side promoting drugs that may actually be harming people. This is a severe conflict of interest.
Nonprofit Organizations and Lobbyists
There have been newspaper reports that certain nonprofits pushed for expanded use of narcotic painkillers and are subsequently raking in millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical companies that made the drugs. The University of Wisconsin Pain & Policy Studies Group received $2.5 million from drug manufacturers over a ten year period. That's just one organization!
The Wall Street Journal reported that because of a recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision, more than twelve pharmaceutical companies are planning to create painkilling drugs that are not easy to abuse. This is a step in the right direction, but it's only the beginning. We are not only behind the curve when it comes to assessing the health impact of this epidemic, we've been slow to recognize the financial consequences of using painkillers as well.
Sources
- The United States Senate Committee on Finance
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Prescription Painkiller Overdoses
