Oxycodone/paracetamol explained

Oxycodone/paracetamol, sold under the brand name Percocet among others, is a fixed-dose combination of the opioid oxycodone with paracetamol (acetaminophen), used to treat moderate to severe pain.

In 2022, it was the 98th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 6million prescriptions.[1] [2]

History

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved oxycodone/paracetamol in 1976, under application ANDA 085106.[3]

Society and culture

Implicated in deaths

In June 2009, an FDA advisory panel recommended that Percocet, Vicodin, and every other combination of acetaminophen with narcotic analgesics[4] be limited in their sales because of their contributions to an alleged 400 acetaminophen-related deaths in the U.S. each year, that were attributed to acetaminophen overdose and associated liver damage.[5]

In December 2009, a study found a fivefold increase in oxycodone-related deaths in Ontario, Canada (mostly accidental) between 1991 and 2007 that led to a doubling of all opioid-related deaths in Ontario over the same period.[6] [7] [8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Top 300 of 2022 . ClinCalc . 30 August 2024 . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830202410/https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Top300Drugs.aspx . live .
  2. Web site: Acetaminophen; Oxycodone Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2013 - 2022 . ClinCalc . 30 August 2024 .
  3. Web site: Percocet: FDA-Approved Drugs . U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) . 17 October 2021.
  4. Web site: FDA May Restrict Acetaminophen. WebMD.
  5. News: Ban Is Advised on 2 Top Pills for Pain Relief . . Gardiner . Harris . 30 June 2009 . 22 May 2010.
  6. Dhalla IA, Mamdani MM, Sivilotti ML, Kopp A, Qureshi O, Juurlink DN . Prescribing of opioid analgesics and related mortality before and after the introduction of long-acting oxycodone . CMAJ . 181 . 12 . 891–6 . December 2009 . 19969578 . 2789126 . 10.1503/cmaj.090784 .
  7. Fischer B, Rehm J . Deaths related to the use of prescription opioids . CMAJ . 181 . 12 . 881–2 . December 2009 . 19969577 . 2789122 . 10.1503/cmaj.091791 .
  8. Canadian Medical Association Journal . 7 December 2009 . Deaths from opioid use have doubled; five-fold increase in oxycodone deaths . 31 May 2012 .