20 years...

20 years with Purdue Pharma. Had to leave 2 yrs ago with Parkinson’s. I’ll never forget the day CW hired me for $45,000. Compared to my former company, I thought I was rich. My goal was to not suck and make a little money. I got a phone call soon after from a doctor at the local cancer hospital who wanted to know the maximum dose of Oxycontin. He had a patient with end stage breast cancer who wished to visit with family members for the last time. Oxycontin was the only thing that worked he told me. I realized I was selling something important. We were helping physicians with patients that without us and our product, would suffer needlessly. I was there for it all. The People magazine initial reporting on abuse and diversion, Barry Mieir and the New York Times. The Michael Freedman saga at the national meeting. Call notes. Cafe Pharma ban. Spectracef. Russ Gaaaaasdia. National Rep of year quitting the company under a cloud of suspicion. Pill mills. Abuse and diversion, abuse and diversion, abuse and diversion. The new boss, Timmney and his cohorts. What I see happening to Purdue makes me sick. Made scapegoat for “epidemic” of heroin overdoses and painted as some kind of gateway drug Oxycontin is demonized by both the medical community that should know better, and by law enforcement who don’t care whose life or practice they ruin as long as they have some film for the nightly news and a false sense of righteousness for getting pills off the street. It’s as bad as frustrated politicians vying for “shooting centers” where addicts can use in a “safe environment” with plenty of Narcan available. Please.

So we’re back where we started with patients in pain and doctors afraid to prescribe. If i didn’t have knowledge of people like the end stage cancer patient mentioned above I might think the last 20 years were a waste. But I will not forget the people we helped. I won’t forget the awareness we created and the pain we prevented, marketing our legal products in an ethical manner. Sure, there were people who were less that ethical and honest, just as there are in any organization of its size. But I will sleep well tonight knowing that we did the right thing for the right reason. The company offered us that opportunity. Some chose to go there own way, most sold with honor.

Unfortunately, despite the resources at hand, the leadership could not find or manage to shepherd a new med to pick up the slack after Oxycontin. A lot of families are suffering for that now.

Good luck to all.

 

well said, thank you!

 

Paul, you always say it best! Thank you for your years of service.

 

Well said. Absolute failure to develop and commercialize new drugs.

What this organization did with Symproic was disgusting. It never had a chance and we all knew it.

 

If this is what you have to tell yourself to b able to sleep at night, then good for you for sticking your head in the sand. I was there when abuse began and when Barry Meier book came out.

During that time, regionals and district managers pushing the "unbiased guidelines" from the SOS, the AAPM, etc....only to find out later that Purdue was the primary sponsor of these societies. Money talks...Purdue basically wrote all of the guidelines and paid the societies to publish so it seemed like they were unbiased.

I also remember many other things. A regional meeting where district's were arranged at tables and the regional manager went around the room asking for the best success stories... meaning which rep had gotten a doc to write the highest dose of oxy...a rep from each district stood up and gave a number. I think the one that won was 4800 mg oxy q12h. You can't honestly believe that was an ethical practice? Or are you that brain washed??

Because of these practices, we have a situation where legitimate pain patients are having difficulty getting any relief!!

Thed only thing that changed over the years....the Sacklers made a minimum of $13 billion and you, along with the remainder of the reps who stayed for "20 years" made huge amounts of money.

Glad you've convinced yourself you've done nothing wrong...whle you sleep tight I your million dollar mansion and the soccer moms in car accidents were started and titrate way too high .and then cut off. Think of all those lives ruined!!!! For what??? The almighty dollar!!!

 

APS not SOS

 

This is to the person who replied above, #5:

I knew Paul when he was here, he was (is) a stand up guy. Your response to his comments offends me.

Paul is a person who doesn't even work here anymore. He has no reason to be on this site, other than to express his opinion of how Purdue is currently being chastized, if that is his wish.

Now you on the other hand, you are just a very little man who obviously has an axe to grind. If you feel as strongly about your opinion as Paul does about his, them pony your a-- up and register your name on this site for all to see. If you don't, your words loose meaning compared to Paul.

I know Paul Steffan. Paul Steffan is a friend of mine. You #5, are no Paul Steffan.

 

Poster #5 here. I have no axe to grind with anyone or any company. I just can't stand when falsehoods are propagated as "truths". It seems that you can't handle the truth about the situation, rather than some brainwashed individuals opinion. I happen to know Paul Steffan and I know how old he is. He's probably retired in his early 50's due to the inordinate amount of bonus dollars he made off the backs of patients who were simply trying to get help for their pain.

Paul certainly has the right to express his opinion and guess What? I do too. The fact that I don't reveal my name (due to all of the legal issues Purdue is in) in no way diminishes my opinion.

By the way, if Purdue Pharma truly sold Oxycontin above-board, without these crazy high doses and shortened dosing schedules, I don't think that 30+ states would have legitimate claims against them.

In addition, IF Purdue has done nothing wrong in their promotion of Oxy, then why did they stop promoting it entirely??? In essence, that in itself is an admission of guilt.

Get out of your delusion and realize that all that $$$ in your bank account came with a huge price. The lives of many, many legitimate patients, not to mention the lives of all their families.

Either wake up to the truth or crawl back into your delusional, brainwashed hole.

 

And I am truly sorry that Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson's. No one deserves that.

 

Paul refers in his post to families suffering. That's pathetic. Throughout history, layoffs have occurred and families have suffered due to no fault of their own.

The number of families suffering because of poor little Purdue pharma layoffs PALES in comparison to the number of families lives ruined (not just suffering) due to the unethical promotion of Oxycontin!!!!

 

Dear Number Five:
Just one question, if that supposed meeting/s took place and it offended you that much, how long did it take you to offer your resignation?

And the people (ABOUT 20% of sales force) that made big money where the ones with brand new doctors coming out of fellowships and started a pain medicine practice. From ZERO to HERO. Or had a territory with lax laws, like Florida. A new pain center opening every week, on every corner run by a PA.

Most Doctors tried to do the right thing, after trying everything else, the decision became 8 to 12 percocets or two OxyContin? If the patient duped the doctor for more pills, it was usually for a little while, before the patient got turfed to that new Pain Management Doctor. NO junkie ever took OxyContin as written or intended. Absolute truth. There are more Doctors that write opioids that NEVER see sales Reps. Than the handful of docs we could call on.

There is a lot of mis information and finger pointing, and the politicians are looking for a quick fix and big payday.

Fact is you are trying to change the Human Condition, a quick review of history will show you that mankind has used different substances to alter their brains and reality. Legally prescribed Medicine In the 1960's it was Qualudes, in the 1970's it was Valium, and starting in the 1980's the grand daddy of all opioids, the hands down no contest most prescribed drug in America and still the most widely prescribed opioid bar none the one the only (wait for it), (have you guessed it yet?) VICODIN. Still the KING!! Where is your moral outrage against those manufactures? So number five, I politely disagree with your ASSumptions, premise and argument. (sounds better than what I first wrote)

Paul I don't think number five ever worked for the company, we know what we told Doctors, WE knew the reps in the HOT SPOTS, and I think I can say we all sleep well at night. Your Friend in Albany.

p.s. number five, if you did work for PURDUE then you'll know who I am, call me, we can chat!

 

If you KNEW Paul, then you’d know he didn’t retire, he was forced to quit due to his medical condition! And when I say knew, I mean that in a personal way! Paul is a class act of a person, and it’s obvious you are the exact opposite of him!

I worked at Purdue for 10 years, and I was never told to say or do anything illegal or unethical. I’m not suggesting there weren’t a few assholes who worked there, because you are a perfect example of one. I would also suggest you learn how the law works, simply because 30+ states have sued. I could sue your ass and accuse you of things, while twisting your words, but would that mean you are guilty of what you’re being accused of? It’s cheaper to settle idiot, and that’s what most company’s due.

 

#5 here. Your logic--?? Makes absolutely no sense. I will, however reply to what you wrote.

I left about 2 months after that meeting, which took place at the Dallas Anatole. I was also present at the Palm Springs meeting as well as many others. The only reason it took 2 months to leave is it took me that long to find another job where I could feel good about what I do.

If you ever read Barry Meiers book, then you would know that it was one of the Sacklers who propagated the entire 60s Valium hokum on the nation. Because of his success with valium, he was the self titled king of pharmaceutical marketing.

Regarding Vicodin, I don't doubt that it's the number 1 opioid in terms of number of prescriptions written. By no means will I ever agree that more mg of hydrocodone was ever written than oxy.. However, 1. Vicodin's highest dose is 10 mg (1/8 of oxy 80 and 1/16 of the short-lived oxy 160 blue pill) 2. To my knowledge, Vicodin reps weren't compensated on dollar volume increase(which lead most--not a select few--of Purdue reps to promote higher and higher doses).

I highly doubt that that the manufacturers of Vicodin ever paid off pain societies to promote higher and higher doses (which, I'll admit was an evilly genius move by purdue). As a rep, I too was brainwashed for a short while, partially because I didn't know Purdue was funding all the pain societies.

The Sacklers were all trained psychiatrists. If only they ever chose to use their genius for Good, our country would be a much better place.

Btw, I have no desire to ever speak to anyone who stayed with Purdue through all of this. There is absolutely nothing I would learn/gain by doing so.

 

If you are in such denial that Purdue did no wrong, then I'm not going to change your brainwashed mind. On the other hand, I know what I witnessed and my opinion will not be changed by your name calling, etc.

60% of states suing (30 out of 50) and Purdue did nothing wrong? Give me a break. I hope your future sheltered brainwashed self survives in the real world.

 

You missed the main point of what Paul was trying to make.
I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with PURDUE or a PURDUE product (family or friend)
but if you have been gone since those meetings and you are writing on this wall today, why? whats wrong with your life? move on......

 

Neither I nor a family member nor friend gave ever taken a Purdue product, I can assure you.

The only reason I am writing on this board is because I am thrilled that America has finally woken up to the myths perpetrated by purdue.

I understood exactly what Paul was saying and it was patently false.

I simply stated my opinion to counter Paul's false statements.

My life us fantastic since I left there. As I stated, I'm thrilled that the reps who made big $$ off the backs of abusers and/or legitimate patients are getting their due. I'm thrilled that the Sacklers hopefully will be held accountable. I'm thrilled that Purdue is no longer marketing oxy

This should have happened 15 years ago and America would be a much better place!!

Btw, you've never once responded to my statements about the devastation wreaked on America's lives because of oxy, much less their family members.

Wonder why????!!!

 

I think your self righteous ass should repay every penny of bonus you collected while being at Purdue! Oh wait, you probably didn’t make a bonus, because you were the only ethical sales person. .

Also, if you are suggesting that there were more OC scripts than hydrocodone, you truly are clueless! And as far as Purdue carrying some blame, yes, I agree, but the entire blame...nope! I’m sorry but you are the one who is brainwashed by political propaganda, because humans will always abuse...it will never be stopped, just drug of choice will be swapped. Did you ever talk to your docs and pharmacies to see how many scripts of Vicodin was being RX? Having stated that, I do think it’s best you not reveal your name.

 

Tell ya what. I'll pay every time back that I made in bonus IF and when you do.

Read what I read a little closer. But I'll repeat it for you. Vicodin may have had more absolute scripts than any other opioid BUT there's is no way there were hydrocodone mg being prescribed than oxy mg. Vicodin manufacturer never paid their reps on dollar volume increase, as Purdue did (thereby increasing unethical reps' bonuses). And yes, I do know the rep who promoted Vicodin back in the day. They were paid (As 90% of pharma companys'