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by Hayleigh Hendershot in business

Purdue Pharma has been ordered to pay 635.5 million dollars for claiming the drug Oxycontin was less addictive than what it actually was.

Three former and current executives pleaded "guilty" in Roanoke's Federal Court for misleading the public about the high risk of addiction to the drug. Purdue paid a 19.5 million dollar settlement to 26 states and the District of Columbia 2 days before to settle claims that they urged doctors to overprescribe the drug to patients.

"With its OxyContin, Purdue unleashed a highly abusable, addictive, and potentially dangerous drug on an unsuspecting and unknowing public," Said US Attorney John Brownlee. "For these misrepresentations and crimes, Purdue and its executives have been brought to justice."

Oxycontin is a drug that can be deadly if taken other than instructed. The pill itself is time released to work over a 12 hour period. Those that are addicted might crush and snort, inject or swallow the drug that produces a heroin like high. Oxycontin is directly blamed for 146 deaths and contributed to another 318 in 2002, according to the DEA.

The monies will be distributed to numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agenciesand medicaid programs. A portion will go to monitor the company with a compliance agreement.

Has your life been touched by Oxycontin abuse? How has this drug affected you?

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