Not a nuisance

[minx]

mountainstatespotlight.org/2022/07/04/drug-distributors-win-west-virginia-landmark-opioid-case/


So the drug dealers  manufacturers aren't responsible for over marketing a drug they knew to be highly addictive by telling doctors that it was non-addictive and by also giving doctors all sorts of extras for prescribing it.
And they aren't responsible for the millions of pills they shipped to the state (enough for everyone residing in the state to take dozens a day) either because they were prescribed by licensed doctors - how were these companies to know that those prescriptions were questionable?

Scumbags.  How many deaths could have been prevented and how many families wouldn't be suffering with loved ones who are addicts if these companies had acted responsibly?
And how many people in true physical pain have suffered because of the misinformation published and pushed by these companies and their ruthless, unethical tactics?

But yeah, they don't constitute a public nuisance.  Not at all.  May they, their lawyers and the judge who adjugated this case all rot in hell.

[k9krap]

I haven’t read much more than the headline and first couple paragraphs in the WaPo, but I’m wondering why West Virginia didn’t join one of the other lawsuits? They’d be in the money now if they had. And how can the manufacturers be responsible in 5 other states but not West Virginia?

[minx]

There were two states not in the original settlements - forget who the other one was (maybe Ohio).
But yeah, I'm not sure why they weren't in the first case, but probably money. West Virginia and SW Virginia have really been the epicenter of this, and I suspect what was being offered to them wasn't going to touch the need.


But meanwhile, WVA is also one of the states who are trying to use the Federal stimulus from covid to cut taxes, instead of investing it into things that might help those suffering, regardless of whether it's from an addiction, other illness, or simply poverty.

I'm really trying to give a shit about these people who are suffering. I truly am - I try to imagine what it's like worrying about if they'll be food to eat by the end of the week, or realizing that the power is out, and along with it your refrigerator. Or having to take out a restraining order against your own child because they will do anything to get their next fix and you have nothing left to give.

But it's hard when you see them voting again and again for people who clearly state things like 'addiction is a choice' or that some people need to simply get a job and stop relying on the government to help them. And they vote, knowing fully well that they aren't even on the radar as far as priority is concerned - these guys are going to pass policies that will harm their community.

But hey, I'd have a beer with that dude. Who cares if he destroys our economy?

[Dave's Not Here Man]

I have some feelings and opinions about this that may not fit very tightly with yalls. As with many other things I think the main element for these problems lies within the individual and their responsibilities. Yes I know that every situation is different and many MANY people, myself included, get to the point where they just want relief and will risk unintended consequences. On the other hand there are equal numbers that are intent enough to fake the pain and just to get high. I'm also certain that there are people who fall in between these two categories.

Think about alcohol. Where are the lawsuits against those manufacturers with their designer drugs that they market on television to the entire tv watching population every night. ALCOHOL IS JUST AS ADDICTIVE AS COCAINE, NO? Well, even if it's not, cocaine is illegal and far less accessible than prescription opioids. Alcohol is a free for all. It's the person making the choice to take these things, that bares at least most of the responsibility for the consequences, not the brewery or lab. This is America and their job is to SELL their product, not to be concerned with who is using it and how. Enter the ass backwards litigation.

Now let's talk about guns.

[minx]

I think the difference between opioids and alcohol is that opioids are prescribed by doctors, so people took them without thinking they'd become an addict.

And lots of people who did become addicted talked about calling their doctor after a surgery because they were still in pain. Rather than being told that they'd be sore for a while, those doctors simply refilled their prescription. Because the drug reps assured them the stuff wasn't addictive. And the drug reps paid for all sorts of things because they were writing those prescriptions, so who cares?

From what I've been reading, a lot of the people who became addicts were in their teens and 20s when they got their first prescription after having fairly minor surgery, like wisdom teeth removal. I'm thinking that oxy and other stuff must react entirely differently in a teen than an adult - maybe because their brains haven't completely finished their development?

Don't get me started on alcohol, cigarettes and vaping....

[Dave's Not Here Man]

The doctors I've been seeing for the last 30 or more years have all been very careful about how they prescribed pain meds and not one has ever offered me anything stronger than Vicodin for chronic pain/pain management and it was only about 3 years ago I had a sort of standing order for it, although they would not refill a 30 day script after it had been refilled 3 times (yes, they know) and you had to come back for an office visit to get the refills. Funny thing is my refills expired because they don't do shit for me when I'm in real pain and 4 advils and a lorazepam are 99% superior to Vicodin for my pain.

In the same timeframe, any time I've ever gotten a script for a "controlled substance" there are red stickers all over the jar so that if your doctor misundertood the addictive nature of opiods be it due to cute drug reps or whatever, and you managed to forget to ask if the pills you would be taking for pain were dangerous and/or addictive, ANNNND you dragged your knuckles all the way to CVS.... even THEY got you covered. Come on man. I'm not buying this culture of blaming the gun (or drug, or RJR, or InBev) and absolving the abuser of responsibility as being unsuspecting and uninformed. Hooey.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Meant to add- I also don't completely absolve the pharmas. I don't like it one bit that they are allowed to market their products like it's cereal, and then have people smiling, laughing, and flying kites when the side effects include "problems", cancers, and death HAVE OCCURRED.

I can already see the law offices commercial "Did you are someone you know DIE because of being misled by the tv advertisements for the biologic agent you insisted your doctor prescribe for your moderate to severe _____?"

[k9krap]

The last few times I had went in for a tramadol refill, my doc gave me a drug test. He said it was law.

I was becoming addicted to Vicodin after my knee surgeries. It became obvious to me after I nearly climbed Mount Everest to get my last refill. It’s very easy to do because when you’re in constant pain you will do anything to get relief. (I guess I wasn’t taking Vicodin long enough to trigger the drug testing. Doc told me it was every 3 months.)

Those legal ads are how I know which drugs or medical procedures I should avoid. 🤣🤣

[minx]

I felt the same way you did John, but then I started reading more about how this all started, and it's been way more than a tad eye opening.

Not much on the doctors who prescribed the stuff like candy, but lots from the parents of the kids who ODed later on, and the history of how oxy was approved and marketed.

Because the FDA allowed them to say it wasn't addictive, there were no black box warnings on it. And of course all the companies played down any type of risk - "It's safe as houses!"

So in the beginning, I truly think people didn't realize how quickly you could get addicted to it. I just finished reading Dopesick by Beth Macy and it's truly sickening how the drug companies mislead so many people, but also how the government also failed them by refusing to listen when they were begging for the drug to be reclassified and sterner warnings put out (BTW, Perdue voluntarily withdrew oxy from the market - right before their patent expired. Mighty nice o them).

Overall, just a sad story about the abuse of power and money.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

As are most.