The scandal of OxyContin: in the Fernandez 80 patients were taken for addiction to the controversial analgesic – 03/28/2019

In the United States, opioid use has been declared a "national emergency" in 2017. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 47,600 Americans died that year as a result of overdose of opiates. One of them, OxyContin, is at the center of a judicial scandal. C & # 39; a powerful painkiller that is also sold in Argentina, and its consumption led in 2018 the treatment of 80 people to Fernández Hospital.

"Oxycodone is an opioid and these drugs can cause death by overdose, relieve pain, and produce tolerance. they increase the dose until they produce an overdose. They start with therapeutic doses and then get used to taking more and more, "he says. Clarin Mónica Napoli, head of the toxicology department of the Frenopático Institute.

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When asked what would be the correct use of this medicine, Napoli responds that must be prescribed by a doctor and checked every 15 days see how the patient is changing and not increasing the dose on their own.

For his part, Carlos Damin, head of the Toxicology Department of Fernández Hospital and president of the Children Without Toxins Foundation (Fundartox), said that this badgesic it can generate a lot of dependency, for its effects. "It does not only generate badgesia, that is to say it calms the pain, but also a certain pleasure situation that makes it easily misused by some people or exaggeratedly", explains he. At their service, last year, they treated 80 patients for consultations related to the abuse of this drug. And the number of people helped has increased in the last three years.

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"As it generates a high level of physical dependence, patients are starting to use more and more can not leave. Since the time when he is abandoned or his consumption is delayed, the person begins with many complications such as severe joint and muscle pain, cramps, diarrhea. Then people are "forced" to increase their consumption or consume it again, "says Damin.

Verónica Torres, head of the Toxicology and Environmental Unit of the Southern University Hospital, has focused on her risks. "It's an opioid, a derivative of morphine. All opioids are dangerous drugs. They can cause respiratory depression and central nervous system depression. They can generate deaths. "He remarked:" It's a drug with a potential danger. And if you abuse it, whether it's indicated or not, overdose can kill"

In Argentina, Oxycontin is offered by Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals SRL, an American laboratory that was installed in our country in 2016."We continue to sell it," confirmed Monday Clarín Martín Gravano, general manager of the laboratory.. "We do not sell it a lot, it's small (at the market level), for us it's not widely used in Argentina, each country has its peculiarities, and in the United States, it's much more, "he added. This Thursday, this newspaper came back to consult the director, but this time refused to answer.

Sources from Anmat confirmed to this newspaper that the painkiller is registered in the country, that it is sold under official prescription and that, on the official website of the body, it is informed of its components and its undesirable effects.

"In Argentina, its sale is much more controlled (that's in the United States). He goes in a special cookbook. And then, its use has been much more restricted, "says Damin, but he mentions disadvantages related to its use.

"This started to be a problem for the year 2015 and the beginning of 2016. Several patients arrived at Fernández Hospital with withdrawal symptoms related to this consumption or asked for help to the toxicology department to be able to give up the inappropriate use of this drug because it is not easy to leave it voluntarily"continues Damin.

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For these problems, in 2018, Fernandez treated about 80 patients. The figure is increasing year by year. In 2016, they were about 30 years old and in 2017, about 50 people were treated, on a volume of about 2,000 patients badisted by other psychoactive substances, mainly alcohol and alcohol. cocaine.

"This is not a high number. We are not in a state of emergency like in the United States. Although its consumption has increased significantly and the demand for this drug has increased significantly, its abuse has not yet generated a health problem, although the number of patients treated for this drug has increased, "said Damin.

At the Austral Hospital, they did not have to deal with an overdose of oxycodone, but opioids. "Opioid abusers have air, it's something common"said Torres. "We do not maximize the use of opioids like in the US They have consumed too much, while we consume a lot of alcohol and drugs, we do not have as many problems with it. opioids, "he adds.

According to Torres, in our country, there are obstacles to achieving this: "Not everyone can prescribe oxycodone and opioids in general, legally, a person can not buy a pharmacy at any time. Oxycodone because it wants it, that there is a market that is out of the law, that exists. "

AS