OxyContin | Vibepedia

OxyContin is a brand name for the opioid pain medication oxycodone, which has been at the center of the opioid epidemic in the United States. Developed by Purdue Pharma, a company founded by the Sackler family, OxyContin was first approved by the FDA in 1995. The medication's high potency and extended-release formula made it a popular target for abuse, leading to widespread addiction and overdose deaths. As of 2022, OxyContin has been linked to over 200,000 deaths in the US, with many more struggling with addiction, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).