re: BR drug problem

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Bingo. Do people actually think that big pharma didn't know the original OxyContin would take off like wildfire in the streets and get millions addicted? They knew exactly wtf they were doing.

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I'm not an expert by any means, but I'm not sure that's how this works. What if researchers look at certain receptors in the body that are responsible for things like pain and then are tasked with finding a molecule that suppresses that receptor? If a great molecule for blocking this pain receptor is oxycodone, it moves forward with clinical trials for efficacy and safety, and if it passes albeit with its side effects, then you have a market and therefor a company that creates it, markets it, and viola - there's your product. It's not until it's used inappropriately do you have a problem. And yes, with habit forming side effects, it's got great potential to be used inappropriately. There are thousands of chronic pain patients that don't abuse this drug and shouldn't be punished because of the people that abuse them. I don't sell drugs and don't have a dog in this fight, but I'm not so sure they set out to create a drug abuse epidemic. Now, maybe that the epidemic is here, maybe they should replace that drug with something else not as habit forming? Again, don't know the answer.