Oxy-Confusion
Media reports and entertainment films often misleadingly use “OxyContin” as a shorthand for “oxycodone” or prescription opioids generally. The reality is, OxyContin is a branded, extended-release version of the generic medicine oxycodone that was introduced in 1916, and at its peak was never more than 4% of the prescription opioid market. Prescriptions for oxycodone outnumber prescriptions for OxyContin 7x.
News outlets also routinely correct this mistake amid the rampant confusion between long-acting OxyContin and the generic medicine oxycodone.
“OxyContin” or “Oxy” Often Misleadingly Used as Shorthand for oxycodone & for Prescription Opioids Generally
| oxycodone | OxyContin | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | generic chemical compound | extended-release oxycodone |
| Clinical use began | 1917 | 1996 |
| Sold as | oxycodone, Percocet, Percodan, Xtampza ER, Roxicodone, Oxaydo, Tylox, Oxycet, OxyContin, etc. | OxyContin |
| Duration | ranges from approximately 4-hour immediate-release formulas to 12-hour extended-release formulas | approved by FDA for 12 hours |
| Active ingredient | oxycodone | oxycodone |
In Reality, oxycodone is Prescribed 7x More Frequently Than OxyContin
Since its introduction in 1996, OxyContin has never been more than 4% of the prescription opioid market.
All Opioid Prescriptions: 1992–2018
In addition, pill mill data from Florida shows that while 1 billion mg of oxycodone was directly dispensed in 2010, OxyContin accounted for less than 0.5% of prescriptions.[1]
Direct Oxycodone Dispensing by Doctors: 2006-2012
Brand Names Stick
This chart shows how many consumer-facing brand names are used colloquially to define a category — even in some scenarios when they are a small part of the market (as is the case with OxyContin).
Examples of Brand Names Used to Describe Entire Product Categories
Government Studies Show Other Prescription Opioids Are Misused More Frequently Than OxyContin
According to 2009 SAMHSA national survey data (just prior to OxyContin being reformulated), of those who misused prescription opioids:[12]
- Vicodin (and equivalents) were misused 3.8x OxyContin
- Codeine products were misused 3.6x OxyContin
- Percocet (and equivalents) were misused 2.3x OxyContin
Examples of Media Inaccuracies[13]
OxyContin: Placeholder for Oxycodone & Prescription Opioids Generally
Original language
Oxycodone, a powerful opioid marketed as OxyContin, was approved in 1995 for pain relief…
Corrected language
Oxycontin [sic], a controlled-release form of the powerful opioid oxycodone, was approved in 1995 for pain relief…
Original headline
Bachelor in Paradise star Jackson Garlick comes under fire for sharing a snap of OxyContin pills and alcohol with the caption ‘name a better duo’.
Corrected headline
Bachelor in Paradise star Jackson Garlick comes under fire for sharing a snap of oxycodone pills and alcohol with the caption ‘name a better duo’.
The Apple TV description for the film “Crisis” erroneously mentioned “OxyContin,” but the movie only ever said “oxycodone” or “oxy.” (The description has since been updated to say “oxycodone.”)
Original
The Netflix film “Extraction” uses an OxyContin bottle to depict drug use, but the movie never says what medicine is being abused.
Original
A documentary about Florida pill mills and the influx of oxycodone prescribing was titled “The OxyContin Express” despite focusing primarily on generic opioids.
OxyContin: Not Most Abused Prescription Opioid
ERROR
The problem offers new insight into why so many people have become addicted to OxyContin, one of the most abused pharmaceuticals in U.S. history.
ERROR
By the time my sister tried OxyContin in 2004, it was one of the most commonly abused prescription opioids in the US.
ERROR
Their flagship product, Oxycontin, became one of the most widely abused pain pills.