Many individuals around the globe suffer from headaches as well as migraines. To treat such pain such as this, doctors sometimes opt to use opioid narcotics. Given the strength of many of these drugs and the potential risk of improper patient selection, improper dosing, and mis-use, certain patients may be placed at risk from these drugs. Ignoring all safety risks and hazards that come with these narcotics, drug companies still encourage doctors to prescribe the medicine to patients for reasons not directly approved by the FDA standards. One drug that is widely used is Actiq, which is a powerful narcotic that comes as a lollipop lozenge and delivers the narcotic directly into the blood stream. The FDA approved Actiq only for limited use in cancer patients who struggled with immense pain and were classified as opioid tolerant.
In 2007, Prime Therapeutics conducted a study that reported that doctors were prescribing Actiq (as an off-label use) at a 90% rate. 127 deaths were linked with Actiq as well as 91 reported incidents of severe side effects. Doctors are permitted to prescribe a drug, even if it is an off-label drug, but the drug manufacturing companies are not allowed to market or sell a drug for uses other than what has previously been approved by the FDA only. The off-label drug was so vastly prescribed; the Office of Criminal Investigations and the U.S. General investigated the issue, which proved Cephalon (the manufacturer) allegedly promoted Actiq to patients who did not suffer from cancer but suffered minor issues such as migraines, back pain, and injuries.
The government’s investigation revealed that Cephalon focused marketing efforts on doctors other than oncologists and that Cephalon structured its sales quotas and bonuses in such a way that sales representatives could only reach their goals if they sold the drug for off-label use. Cephalon was then charged and found guilty of the distribution of misbranded drugs and paid a $425 million fine. Cases are still in effect regarding this drug.
If you or a loved one took Actiq and suffered side effects, please call at 1-866-789-1664, or fill out the form at the left for a free case evaluation by a qualified drug side effects attorney.