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It's Painfully Obvious: Purdue Pharma Ignores Prevention
Research
11/21/2003
Commentary
by Linda Verst
I follow with interest, concern and consternation the
continual pop up of Purdue Pharma Painfully Obvious
Campaign and its accompanying shower of money
(mostly, it seems in increments of $125,000) in cities
and states all over the country.
In November 2001, I first crossed paths with
executives from Purdue Pharma and their Cincinnati, Ohio, ad agency
representative. At that time Rhonda Ramsey Molina, from the Coalition for
a Drug Free Greater Cinci, Vicki Culler and Mary Francis from the
Cincinnati
Health Foundation (Mary then worked for the Alcoholism Council of Greater
Cincinnati) and I (Linda Verst, NorthKey Regional Prevention Center) were
invited by Purdue Pharma executives to advise them as they prepared to
launch their campaign using Cincinnati as one of three test sites.
I should tell you that all of us who met that day with Purdue Pharma are
certified prevention professionals. For your readers who may not know
what that means, let me explain: at this time, thirty-four states, American
Indian Health Services, the US Army and Navy and a number of foreign
countries have prevention certification with reciprocity through the
International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC AODA). This
means that all who are certified prevention professionals must have a
bachelor degree, must submit a portfolio of alcohol, tobacco and other
drug (ATOD) prevention work experience, training and recommendations,
and must take an international exam to qualify us to do ATOD prevention
in our communities, our country and the world. We must periodically
submit proof of continuing education in our field to keep our
certification.
We take our work seriously.
At the November 2001 meeting, all prevention professionals present
explained clearly to Purdue Pharma the problems we have with their
splashy, expensive and clever Painfully Obvious Campaign. Our concerns
are numerous, and include the following: lack of assessment of the target
population; use of scare tactics which history has shown may have a
boomerang effect; and lack of preparation of adults, parents and
caregivers for the campaign. We were and continue to be concerned with
the toy squishy "brain" that is given free to youth. It gives the distinct
impression that you can throw your brain against the wall, and it will
reshape and bounce back to normal. They called the materials in their
campaign a curriculum. We explained to them why and how this is not a
curriculum, but an ill advised poorly planned ad campaign that could cause
harm, rather than help.
We strongly suggested that Purdue Pharma not launch Painfully Obvious
in Cincinnati. We offered our expertise in prevention. They told us they
would consider our concerns, and released Painfully Obvious to the press
that very day.
Since that time, I have met with Purdue Pharma executives on at least
three separate occasions in Kentucky, where they also want to launch this
campaign. Certified prevention professionals were among state leaders
who explained again the red flags flapping loudly in the Painfully Obvious
contents. Purdue Pharma has remained uninterested in changing Painfully
Obvious.
As a state, Kentucky refused the money and accompanying Painfully
Obvious campaign. It is painful, during this time of budget crunch, but
obvious that ethically we cannot in good conscience accept the money
with this campaign attached. This campaign blatantly flies in the face of
what we have learned through research on effective prevention. I think
about this whenever I read about more cities and more states accepting
the money and launching the campaign.
It is painfully obvious that Purdue Pharma has plenty of money to
distribute, but is not interested in working with professionals to find out
what would really help prevent illegal use of legal drugs among youth and
adults. Why is that?
Linda Verst is a Prevention Consultant at the NorthKey Regional Prevention
Center, is a Member of the Kentucky Certification Board of Prevention
Professionals, is a Student Assistance Journal Editorial Advisory Board
Member, and serves on Board of Trustees for the Coalition for a Drug Free
Greater Cincinnati.
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