The maker of the potent prescription painkiller OxyContin announced Friday that it will implement an intensive national plan to stop the burgeoning abuse of the synthetic narcotic.

        Tristate law enforcement agencies have identified OxyContin as the most abused prescription drug in the region.

        The plan is in response to the Drug Enforcement Administration's call for Purdue Pharma to limit distribution of the drug. Officials of the DEA said the abuse of OxyContin was so grave that it required unique action.

        Terry Woodworth, a top official at the agency, said it was concerned that the promotion and distribution of OxyContin by its manufacturer, Purdue Pharma LP, to doctors such as general practitioners might have led to its wide misuse. The government has said that no prescription drug in the last 20 years has been so widely abused so soon after its release as OxyContin.

        After meetings with the Drug Enforcement Administration to discuss their joint concerns over illicit use of the drug, which has been blamed for more than 250abuse deaths in three states, Purdue rolled out a 10-point education and prevention strategy.

        The plan includes:

        • Changing the shape of the pills exported to other countries to prevent reimportation.

        • Distributing placebo pills to help law enforcement in sting operations.

        • Retraining 180 drug salespeople in 100 at-risk counties to help prevent the spread of drug diversion rather than pitching it as a product.

        Some of the public service announcements produced as part of this plan are airing on a local radio station.

        “We're really proud of what we're doing,” said Purdue spokesman Jim Heins.

        OxyContin, which abusers crush and then either snort or inject, was introduced in 1995 and has generated more than $600 million in revenue in 2000 as a legitimate prescription product.

        It gained national attention after a massive February drug bust in Eastern Kentucky netted more than 200 arrests. The pill, whose street value is often more than $1 per milligram, produces a high described as better than heroin.

        Law enforcement officials, physicians and pharmacists have had growing concerns over the rapid increase in the drug's abuse. Fifty-nine deaths have been attributed to OxyContin abuse in Kentucky, 32 in Virginia and 168 in Florida.

        In Ohio and Kentucky, law enforcement officials are fighting a pipeline that brings the drug from Ohio, Indiana and other states into Kentucky, where prescriptions are tightly tracked and monitored by a database system. Arrests have been made throughout the Tristate of people who “doctor-shop” to try to get prescriptions for the drug.

        In one extreme case, Kentucky State Police investigators said one father-son-daughter team visited as many as 52 doctors.

        In Northern Kentucky, Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl said he has had problems with inmates who abuse OxyContin.

        “I'm glad to see they are taking the lead on this, making everybody aware,” he said.

        Purdue officials say they hope the plan will help curb abuse while keeping the drug available to those with moderate to severe pain who need it.

        Highlights include:

        • Beginning public service announcements in six states alerting teens to the dangers of prescription drug abuse. The spots are already airing on Greater Cincinnati's station Q102.

        • Changing the look of the pills shipped to Canada and Mexico to make it easier for law enforcement officials to identify the illegal re-importation of the drug across borders.

        “We don't have a good sense of how prevalent it is yet,” Mr. Heins said, adding that the new look will help.

        • Distributing tamper-resistant prescription pads to physicians in Maine, Virginia and Alabama. The program will eventually be implemented in all states where misuse of OxyContin is a public health problem.

        Purdue officials also plan to do a lot of educating. Brochures on ways to prevent diversion will go out to more than 400,000 physicians and 60,000 pharmacies.

        The company plans to sponsor a series of education programs for law enforcement officials to help them better understand the undertreatment of pain and explore new approaches to combat prescription drug abuse.

        Officials will sponsor more than 300 continuing-education programs for health-care professionals to teach responsible pain management.

        “We're the leader in pain management education,” Mr. Heins said.

Grand-jury action puts leaders on alert
Streicher looks for solutions
OxyContin maker moves to help curb its abuse
Red ink flows at Mercy Health
Rosa Parks argues vs. rap
SAMPLES: Derby Day
Year later, fire still a worry
Derby, schmerby, say some in region
Horses, celebs secure
Look like a Derby veteran
Leaders: Riots could erupt in Ky.
Olympics visit is July
Seeing other cultures
Appeal planned against plant
Brassy Ohioan Traficant indicted
Candidates line up for Mason seat
Cincinnati Youth Collaborative wins civic award
City turns 40 with parade
HOWARD: Neighborhoods
MCNUTT: 'History lives'
Newborn safe place law may be made soon
Public safety levies on ballots
Steger will stay into 2003
Two UC teammates might face charges
UC, faculty call off early contract talks
Voters face money issues for schools
Kentucky News Briefs
Tristate A.M. Report