I have interviewed so many experts over the years on our growing opioid epidemic that I have lost count.
Everyone from doctors, patients, addiction organizations, government, even several who have lost their child to an opioid addiction.
Everyone talks about the tragedy, everyone talks about the human toll and collateral damage, and everyone talks about how it can happen to anyone regardless of their age or socioeconomic class.
Everyone is asking anyone who will offer an opinion, what can be done to stop this deadly epidemic?
What no one is asking is, how did we get here and who is responsible? That is where the solution lies.
And when the tough questions are asked even those same experts will skirt the issue.
Why? Because it is a medical industry induced problem.
A self-inflicted wound administered by big pharma and your doctor to patient.
Big pharma heavily marketed OxyContin (and similar drugs) wining and dining doctors and medical organizations promoting it as safer and less addictive.
In fact, as we have all seen, the very opposite is true.
As a result, Purdue (maker of OxyContin) paid millions in fines for its false claims about OxyContin before replacing the drug.
Now there are many generic versions with the same problems.
But what about the human cost?
Doesn’t big pharma have a responsibility in helping treat the millions of addicts it has created?
Why are they not paying the bill, instead of taxpayers?
Scott Thompson hosts The Scott Thompson Show on 900 CHML and is a commentator for Global News.