True Life: I'm Hooked on OxyContin
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Serena Altschul
Serena Altschul
Russell Portney
Bill Hayes
Adam Abernathy
Eve Aronstam
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
A report on the deadly consequences of OxyContin abuse. The program attempts to untangle the controversy surrounding the narcotic, hearing from both opponents of the drug -- who feel that the dangers outweigh the benefits and insist that OxyContin should be taken off the market -- and advocates, who argue that OxyContin's efficacy in treating pain and suffering helps many people lead some semblance of a normal life. Dr. Russell Portney, of Beth Israel Hospital in New York, claims that much of the widespread misuse of OxyContin is the fault of so many primary care physicians who liberally prescribe the drug with litle knowledge of its potency. Lawyer Bill Hayes takes this argument one step further, asserting that the manufacturer of the drug encourages doctors to over-prescribe OxyContin.
