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OxyContin, prescription opioid abuse and economic medicalization

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  • Poitras, Geoffrey

Abstract

This paper examines the relevance of OxyContin diversion and abuse to the economic medicalization of substance abuse and addiction. Given that medicalization is the general social process of nonmedical problems being transformed into medical problems, economic medicalization occurs where the motivation for the transformation is commercial profitability or, in a corporate context, achieving the objective of shareholder wealth maximization. After considering potential conflicts between medical ethics and business ethics, practical aspects of economic medicalization are detailed by considering the methods used to market OxyContin by Purdue Pharma. Illegal practices are identified and contrasted with legal practices that facilitated economic medicalization. Implications of medicalization research for designing public heath solutions to the epidemic of prescription opioid abuse are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Poitras, Geoffrey, 2012. "OxyContin, prescription opioid abuse and economic medicalization," MPRA Paper 113257, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:113257
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/113257/8/MPRA_paper_113257.pdf
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    Keywords

    medicalization; OxyContin; prescription drug abuse; medical ethics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other

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