In May 2000, the FDA found fault with an advertisement in the New England Journal of Medicine that it said promoted OxyContin in a "false or misleading" way. The advertisement "suggests that OxyContin has been studied in all types of arthritis and can be used as first-line therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis," according to a letter from the FDA to Purdue. In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration required Purdue to print a warning on the OxyContin label underscoring how the drug should be used. It states that the drug has the potential for abuse similar to morphine and is for people with "moderate to severe pain when a continuous, around-the-clock" painkiller is needed. In 2004, number of consumer groups and individuals filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharm, the manufacturer of Oxycontin, claiming that the drug maker reaped billions in unlawful profit from consumers through fraudulent patents and sham lawsuits that blocked generic alternatives to the widely prescribed pain reliever. The suit alleges that Purdue has been illegally marketing and selling OxyContin since December 1995, when it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration
If you have experienced severe side effects due to this medication, seek an attorney, or find a firm devoted to class actions against Purdue Pharm.