The pain was proclaimed the “fifth vital sign” in 1996, and the “war on pain” was declared at the American Pain Society’s request. In that year, the FDA approved the first “safe” extended-release opiates, including Oxycontin. The FDA permitted and enabled pharmaceutical corporations to advertise directly to consumers the following year.
Increases in advertising budgets for these “pain killers” were reflected in considerable increases in the number of prescriptions written for opioid pain drugs, as well as the number of people who used them.
It took nearly two decades for the facts about overdose and addiction to catching up, but it turns out that these medications have destroyed far too many lives.