In 1996, Purdue Pharma made Oxycontin (which is a brand of oxycodone) publically available and aggressively marketed and promoted the drug. Purdue Pharma promoted the drug at conferences (which are attended by physicians, pharmacists and nurses) throughout the United States. Oxycontin sales grew from $48 million in 1996 to almost $1.1 billion in 2000. The high availability of Oxycontin correlated with increased abuse of the drug.
Source: Van Zee, A. (2009). The promotion and marketing of oxycontin. American Journal of Public Health.
| Drugs: | Opium (morphine, heroin, opioids) |
|---|---|
| Regions: | USA (United States of America) |
