The FDA recently voted in favor of pushing a new formulation of oxycodone hydrochloride for approval. The new OxyContin formula is more difficult to crush or dissolve which will hopefully make it harder to be used as a drug of abuse . The FDA recommended that Purdue Pharma's application for a new, resin-coated formulation should replace the original version, which has been on the market since 1996. Randall Flick, MD, an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic who voted to recommend approval of the drug said, "Clearly the old formulation is worse than the new, although I think the difference is relatively small," Flick concluded, "Hardcore abusers are likely to devise new ways to break down the harder tablet or figure out which solvents will dissolve it fastest, within 'day or weeks' of the product's release on the market."
While visiting Wisconsin before his annual trip next week- Santa Claus was caught stumbling out of a vehicle (not sleigh). Santa surprised local children by laughing and playing with them while questioning them on the location of his reindeer. Obviously jolly ol' Saint Nick had a little too much holiday cheer in him and his driver went a little heavy on the egg nog. Santa was cited for an open container and his driver received a DUI.