Los Angeles Times

‘You want a description of hell?’ OxyContin’s 12-hour problem

The drugmaker Purdue Pharma launched OxyContin two decades ago with a bold marketing claim: One dose relieves pain for 12 hours, more than twice as long as generic medications. Patients would no ...

Families who lost children to OxyContin say settlement brings pain, not closure

After decades of fighting Purdue Pharma, parents say the multibillion‑dollar settlement offers little justice and no ...
Los Angeles Times

‘You want a description of hell?’ OxyContin’s 12-hour problem

But OxyContin’s stunning success masked a fundamental problem: The drug wears off hours early in many people, a Los Angeles Times investigation found. OxyContin is a chemical cousin of heroin, and ...