The epidemic of prescription opioid abuse, the subsequent rising prevalence of heroin use, and the federal response

Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy

Volumn 29, Issue 2, 2015, Pages 102-114

  Kanouse, Andrew B ^a   Compton, Peggy ^b  

^a GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER   (United States)

Author keywords

Federal agencies; Heroin; Opioid abuse; Pain; Prescription opioids

Indexed keywords

DIAMORPHINE; NALOXONE; OPIATE; OXYCODONE; PRESCRIPTION DRUG; NARCOTIC ANALGESIC AGENT;

ANALGESIA; ARTICLE; CHRONIC PAIN; DRUG ABUSE; DRUG CONTROL; DRUG INDUSTRY; DRUG INTOXICATION; DRUG MONITORING; DRUG SUBSTITUTION; DRUG SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM; DRUG USE; EPIDEMIC; FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION; GOVERNMENT; HEALTH CARE AVAILABILITY; LAW ENFORCEMENT; MEDICINE CHEST; MORBIDITY; MORTALITY; OPIATE ADDICTION; PHARMACY; PRESCRIPTION; PREVALENCE; ADVERSE EFFECTS; DRUG LEGISLATION; EPIDEMICS; HEALTH CARE POLICY; HEROIN DEPENDENCE; HUMAN; PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE; PROCEDURES; STATISTICS AND NUMERICAL DATA; UNITED STATES;

ANALGESICS, OPIOID; CHRONIC PAIN; EPIDEMICS; HEALTH POLICY; HEROIN DEPENDENCE; HUMANS; LEGISLATION, DRUG; PAIN MANAGEMENT; PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE; PREVALENCE; UNITED STATES; UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION; UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AGENCIES;

EID: 84932140308     PISSN: 15360288     EISSN: 15360539     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.3109/15360288.2015.1037521     Document Type: Article

References (78)

1. Frank B. An overview of heroin trends in New York City: past, present and future. Mount Sinai J Med. 2000;67:340-346.
2. Dhalla IA, Persaud N, Juurlink DN. Facing up to the prescription opioid crisis. BMJ. 2011;343:1-4.
3. Trescot AM, Datta Sukdeb, Lee M, Hansen H. Opioid pharmacology. Pain Physician. 2008;11:S133-S153.
4. Wood M. Media's Positive and Negative Frames in Reporting Celebrity Deaths from Illegal Drug Overdoses Versus Prescription Medication Overdoses. William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 2011. Available at: http://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/10234/Wood ku 0099M 11835 DATA 1.pdf?sequence = 1. Accessed February 26, 2014.
5. Perrone M. FDA chief defends Zohydro as criticism intensifies. Available at: http://news.yahoo.com/fda-chief-defends-zohydrocriticism-intensifies-220949363.html. Accessed March 25, 2014.
6. Kotecha MK, Sites BD. Pain policy and abuse of prescription opioids in the USA: a cautionary tale for Europe. Anesthesia. 2013;68:1210-1215.
7. Porter J, JickH. Addiction rare in patients treated with narcotics. N Engl J Med. 1980;302:123.
8. Manchikanti L. National drug control policy and prescription drug abuse: facts and fallacies. Pain Physician. 2007;10:399-424.
9. Fortuna RJ, Robbins BW, Caiola E, Joynt M, Halterman JS. Prescribing of controlled medications to adolescents and young adults in the United States. Pediatrics. 126:1108-1116.
10. Castle K. DEA official addresses prescription drug abuse 'epidemic'. Bristol Herald Courier. 2013. Available at: http://www. tricities.com/news/local/article 801d5b8e-2712-11e3-Abac-001 a4bcf6878.html. Accessed February 26, 2014.
11. Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. Model Policy for the Use of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain. Available at: http://www. fsmb.org/pdf/2004 grpol controlled substances.pdf. Accessed March 18, 2014.
12. Zacny J, Bigelow G, Compton P, Foley K, Iguchi M, Sannerud C. College on Problems of Drug Dependence taskforce on prescription opioid nonmedical use and abuse: position statement. Available at: http://psychology. illinoisstate.edu/cbs/readings/zacny2003.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
13. Manchikanti L. Prescription drug abuse: what is being done to address this new drug epidemic?. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources. Pain Physician. 2006;9:287-321.
14. Manchikanti L, Helms S 2nd, Fellows B, et al. Opioid epidemic in the United States. Pain Physician. 2012;15:ES9-ES38.
15. Compton WM, Volkow ND. Major increases in opioid analgesic abuse in the United States: concerns and strategies. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2006;81:103-107.
16. Webster L, St. Marie B, McCarberg B, Passik SD, Panchal SJ, Voth E. Current status and evolving role of abuse-deterrent opioids in managing patients with chronic pain. J Opioid Manag. 2011;7:235-245.
17. Executive Office of the President of the United States. Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis. Available at: http://www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/issues-content/prescriptiondrugs/rx abuse plan 0.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
18. Kenan K, Mack K, Paulozzi L. Trends in prescriptions for oxycodone and other commonly used opioids in the United States, 2000-2010. Open Med. 2012;6:e41-e47.
19. Simopoulos TT. Prescription opioid abuse in the US: the perfect storm with no proven strategies to mitigate the escalating problem. J Subst Abuse Alcohol. 2013;1:1003.
20. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Research Report Series: Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction. Available at: http://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/rrprescription. pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
21. Kuehn BM. Opioid prescriptions soar: increase in legitimate use as well as abuse. JAMA. 2007;297:249-251.
22. Clark MR, Soller KB, Brooner RK. Assessment and management of chronic pain in individuals seeking treatment for opioid dependence disorder. Can J Psychiatry. 2008;53:496-508.
23. Mellegers MA, Furlan AD, Mallis A. Gabapentin for neuropathic pain: systematic review of controlled and uncontrolled literature. Clin J Pain. 2001;17:284-295.
24. Brennan F, Carr DB, Cousins M. Pain management: a fundamental human right. Anesth Analg. 2007;105.205-221.
25. IMS. IMS's Source Prescription Audit (SPA) & Vector One R-: National (VONA), 2013.
26. Okie S. A flood of opioids, a rising tide of deaths. N Engl J Med. 2010;363:1981-1985.
27. Executive Office of the President of the United States. National Drug Control Strategy 2013. Available at: http://www. whitehouse.gov//sites/default/files/ondcp/policy-And-research/ndcs 2013.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
28. International Narcotics Control Board. Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2009. Available at: http://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific/2010/02/incb/INCB Annual Report 2009.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
29. International Narcotics Control Board. Contribution of the International Narcotics Control Board to the high-level review of the implementation by Member States of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem. Available at: http://www.incb.org/documents/Publications/ePublication/E-Publication E FINAL. pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
30. US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. National Drug Threat Assessment Summary. Available at: http://www.justice.gov/dea/resource-center/DIR-017-13%20NDTA%20Summary%20final.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
31. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. Available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2012SummNatFindDetTables/NationalFindings/NSDUHresults2012.htm#ch2.16. Accessed March 18, 2014.
32. Gugelmann HM, Perrone J. Can prescription drug monitoring programs help limit opioid abuse. JAMA. 2011;306:2258-2259.
33. Birnbaum HG, White AG, Schiler M, Waldman T, Cleveland JM, Roland CL. Societal costs of prescription opioid abuse, dependence, and misuse in the United States. Pain Med. 2011;12:657-667.
34. White AG, Birnbaum HG, Schiller M, Waldman T, Cleveland JM, Roland CL. Economic impact of opioid abuse, dependence, and misuse. Am J Pharm Benefits. 2011;3:59-70.
35. US Food and Drug Administration. Advisory Committee meeting materials. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/Drugs/AnestheticAndLifeSupportDrugsAdvisoryCommittee/UCM23 3240.pdf.%20Accessed%20April%2025, %202013. Accessed February 26, 2014.
36. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary and National Findings. Available at: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k10NSDUH/2k10Results. pdf. Accessed March 18, 2014.
37. The National Institute on Drug Abuse & National Institute of Health. Monitoring the Future National Results of Drug Use 2013 Overview: Key Findings on Drug Use. Available at: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org//pubs/monographs/mtfoverview2013. pdf. Accessed March 18, 2014.
38. Council on Addictions of New York States, Inc. Issue Briefing #6: Prescription Drug Abuse. Available at: http://www.canys.net/images/Rx%20Final%20Draft%202.1.11.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
39. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prescription Drug Overdoses: An American Epidemic. Available at: http://www. cdc.gov/about/grand-rounds/archives/2011/01-february.htm. Accessed February 26, 2014.
40. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The DAWN Report: Highlights of the 2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) Findings on Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits. Available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k13/DAWN127/sr127-DAWN-highlights. htm. Accessed March 18, 2014.
41. Jones CM, Mack KA, Paulozzi LJ. Pharmaceutical overdose deaths, United States, 2010. JAMA. 2013;309:657-659.
42. Department of Justice. Statement of Joseph T. Rannazzisi Deputy Assistant Administrator Office of Diversion Control Drug Enforcement Administration Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs United States Senate For a Hearing Entitled Curbing Prescription Drug Abuse in Medicare. Available at: http://www.justice.gov/dea/pr/speeches-Testimony/2013t/062-413-rannazzisi-Testimony.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
43. US Food and Drug Administration. Timeline of Selected FDA Activities and Significant Events Addressing Opioid Misuse and Abuse. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm338566.htm. Accessed February 26, 2014.
44. United States General Accounting Office. Prescription Drugs: OxyContin Abuse and Diversion and Efforts to Address the Problem. Available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04110.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
45. Bannwarth B. Will abuse-deterrent formulations of opioid analgesics be successful in achieving their purpose?. Drugs. 2012;72:13-23.
46. Muhuri PK, Gfroerer JC, Davies MC. Associations of nonmedical pain reliever use and initiation of heroin use in the United States. CBHSQ Data Review. 2013:1-17. Available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/DR006 /DR006/nonmedical-pain-reliever-use-2013.htm. Accessed February 26, 2014.
47. Purdue Pharma News and Media. Common Errors in the Media about OxyContin R-(Oxycodone HCl-Controlled Release) Tablets CII. Available at: http://www.purduepharma.com/newsmedia/2011/12/common-errors-in-The-media-About-oxycontinoxycodone-hcl-controlled-release-Tablets./Accessed March 25, 2014.
48. Executive Office of the President Office of National Drug Control Policy. Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse January-June 2002 Reporting Period. Available at: https://www. ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/drugfact/pulsechk/pulse nov 02.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
49. Pollini RA, Banta-Green CJ, Cuevas-Mota J, Metzner M, Teshale E, Farfein RS. Problematic use of prescription-Type opioids prior to heroin use among young heroin injectors. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2011;2:173-180.
50. Peavy KM, Banta-Green CJ, et al. 'Hooked on' prescription type opiates prior to using heroin: results from a survey of syringe exchange clients. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2012;44: 259-265.
51. Brands B, Blake J, Sproule B, Gourlay D, Busfo U. Prescription opioid abuse in patients presenting for methadone maintenance treatment. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2005;73:199-207.
52. Rosenblum A, Parrino M, Schnoll SH, et al. Prescription opioid abuse among enrollees into methadone maintenance treatment. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007;90:64-71.
53. Jones CM. Heroin use and heroin use risk behaviors among nonmedical users of prescription opioid pain relievers-United States, 2002-2004 and 2008-2010. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013;132:95-100.
54. Fischer B, Rehm J. Illicit opioid use in the 21st century: witnessing a paradigm shift?. Addiction. 2007;102:499-501.
55. Haden P. Experts: Prescription drug abuse leading to spike in heroin use. Cronkite News. 2013. Available at: http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2013/11/experts-prescription-drugabuse-leading-To-spike-in-heroin-use./Accessed February 26, 2014.
56. Achenbach J. Philip Seymour Hoffman's death points to broader opioid drug epidemic. The Washington Post. 2014. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/healthscience/philip-seymour-hoffman-heroin-death-points-To-broader-opioid-drug-epidemic/2014/02/07/42dbbc5a-8e61-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da story.html. Accessed February 26, 2014.
57. Koebler J. Study: Heroin abuse increase may be due to prescription painkiller crackdown. U.S. News & World Report. 2013. Available at: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/06/12/study-heroin-Abuse-increase-may-bedue-To-prescription-painkiller-crackdown. Accessed February 26, 2014.
58. Center for Lawful Access and Abuse Deterrence & Human Resources Development Institute, Inc. National Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Strategy. Available at: http://claad.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/10/Nat Prescipt Drug Abuse Prev Strat 2009.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
59. US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center. National Drug Threat Assessment. Available at: http://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs38/38661/38661p.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
60. Mars SG, Bourgois P, Karandinos G, Montero F, Ciccarone D. 'Every 'never' I ever said came true': transitions from opioid pills to heroin injecting. Int J Drug Policy. 2014;25:257-266.
61. Barr M. New wave of heroin claims Hoffman and others. Associated Press. 2014. Available at: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/newwave-heroin-claims-hoffman-And-others. Accessed February 26, 2014.
62. Executive Office of the President of the United States. National Drug Control Strategy 2012. Available at: http://www.whitehouse. gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/2012 ndcs.pdf. Accessed February 26, 2014.
63. The White House. A drug policy for the 21st century. Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/drugpolicyreform. Accessed February 26, 2014.
64. Kuehn BM. FDA committee: more restrictions needed on hydrocodone combination products. JAMA. 2013;309:862.
65. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA's efforts to address the misuse and abuse of opioids. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm337852.htm. Accessed February 26, 2014.
66. The White House Office of the National Drug Control Policy. Statement from White House Drug Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske on the Passage of Opiate Related Legislation in Wisconsin. Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/newsreleases/kerlikowske-statement-wisconsin-opiate-legislation. Accessed February 26, 2014.
67. Schneider MF, Bailey JE, Cicero TJ, et al. Integrating nine prescription opioid analgesics and/or four signal detection systems to summarize statewide prescription drug abuse in the United States in 2007. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2009;18:778-790.
68. The National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws (NAMSDL). Prescription Drug Abuse, Addiction and Diversion: Overview of State Legislative and Policy Initiatives. Available at: http://www.namsdl.org/library/6D4B39ED%2D65BE%2DF4-BB%2DA67AEA9E53B140A9./Accessed February 26, 2014.
69. Paulozzi LJ, Kilbourne EM, Desai HA. Prescription drug monitoring programs and death rates from drug overdose. Pain Med. 2011;12:747-754.
70. Executive Office of the President of the United States. National Drug Control Strategy 2014. Available at: http://www. whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/policy-And-research/ndcs 2014.pdf. Accessed August 15, 2014.
71. US Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers: FDA Approves a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for Extended-Release and Long-Acting (ER/LA) Opioid Analgesics. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm309742.htm. Accessed February 26, 2013.
72. Kim D, Irwin KS, Khoshnood K. Expanded access to naloxone: options for critical response to the epidemic of opioid overdose mortality. Am J Public Health. 2009;99:402-407.
73. Seal KH, Downing M, Kral AH, et al. Attitudes about prescribing take-home naloxone to injection drug users for the management of heroin overdose: a survey of street-recruited injectors in the San Francisco Bay Area. J Urban Health. 2003;80:291-301.
74. Department of Justice. Attorney General Holder, Calling Rise in Heroin Overdoses Urgent Public Health Crisis, Vows Mix of Enforcement, Treatment. Available at: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-Ag-246.html. Accessed August 1, 2014.
75. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Opioid Overdose: Preventing and Reducing Opioid Overdose Mortality. Available at: http://www.unodc.org/docs/treatment/overdose.pdf. Accessed August 1, 2014.
76. Sporer KA, Kral AH. Prescription naloxone: a novel approach to heroin overdose prevention. Ann Emerg Med. 2007;49:172-177.
77. Seal KH, Thawley R, Gee L, et al. Naloxone distribution and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for injection drug users to prevent heroin overdose death: a pilot intervention study. J Urban Health. 2005;82:303-311.
78. International Overdose Awareness Day. Available at: http://www.overdoseday.com./Updated 2014. Accessed Janu ary 4, 2015.