Despite Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s mostly positive phase III study results of a non-opioid for treating moderate to severe acute pain, the data for a key secondary endpoint show VX-548 is not as effective as Vicodin (hydrocodone, Abbvie Inc.). Neither of two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pivotal studies, one treating patients after abdominoplasty surgery and one after bunionectomy surgery, met the key secondary endpoint of VX-548 being superior to hydrocodone bitartrate/acetaminophen in patients’ pain levels.
Friends co-star Mathew Perry shared his battles with addiction to alcohol and drugs. He lost almost 128 pounds because he was addicted and took almost 50-55 tablets a day. He claimed to have gone to 15 different recovery facilities, attended roughly 6,000 sessions of Alcoholics Anonymous, and calculated that he had spent about $9 million on his sobriety.
On the day of his tragic passing, Perry reportedly spent two hours engaged in a game of pickleball at the Rivera County Club near his Pacific Palisades home. Upon his return home, he requested his assistant to acquire a new iPhone and prescription glasses. Tragically, just two hours later, his assistant discovered the star unresponsive in his jacuzzi and promptly called 911. The 911 dispatch recording, while heavily censored, did mention the term "drowning," providing insight into the circumstances surrounding Perry's untimely death.
confused. the coroner's office found no obvious cause of death, natural, or unnatural. no heart attack, no trauma, nothing. toxicology tests found a little vicodin in his system, but not enough to kill anyone. his family was at a loss. especially his wife angelina, who seemed to be groping for answers. trying to make sense of what happened to frank. >> she called me almost every day to talk about it. she thought he was killed, she thought he was poisoned. >> the idea seemed on the face of it, crazy. who would want to kill frank? >> i just didn't know what to think. it was such a shock. homicide detectives were called in. even though there was zero evidence of a homicide. any chance that this was going turn out not to be a murder? and that what frank died of was either natural causes, or food poisoning, or something like that? >> absolutely. absolutely. >> l. a. county sheriff's homicide detective brian
phone. it was horrifying. >> he was only 41. frank left behind a widow and nine year old stepdaughter, to whom frank had become very close. how did your daughter react to frank dying? >> she was devastated, but she was also very confused >> she wasn't the only one confused the coroner's office found n obvious cause of death, natural, or unnatural no heart attack, no trauma nothing. toxicology tests found a littl vicodin in his system, but not enough to kill anyone. his family was at a loss especially his wife angelina who seemed to be groping for answers. trying to make sense of what happened to frank. >> she called me almost ever day to talk about it she thought he was killed, she thought he was poisoned. >> the idea seemed on the face of it, crazy who would want to kill frank >> i just didn't know what t think. it was such a shock. homicide detectives were calle in
conner sheets is a reporter for "the times" and joins me now. it's stunning to think about it. looking side-by-side, that dr. gupta pointed out. you and your colleague tested pills from pharmacies in three different cities. what did you find? >> we tested pills in cabo san lucas and in tijuana. we tested 17 pills that we bought at a number of small pharmacies. 71% of them tested positive for an illicit substance. in all of the cases we're talking about, opioid pills, such as vicodin, percocet, oxycodone. pills that were being sold, were coming up positive for fentanyl. and pills being sold forred a ral, 100 came up for meth also.
pills and we bought a number of different small pharmacies, we found 71% of them tested positive for an illicit substance. all of these cases, we're talking about opioid pills, such as vicodin, percocet, oxycodone, pills that are being sold as those drugs. in legitimate pharmacies in these tourist areas were coming up positive for fentanyl's. in adderall, pills that were being sold as a, terrell hunter percent of the ones we tested came up positive for mitt also. it's a widespread thing with just a few drunks. >> unbelievable, to think about. i'm hearing the stories as well we have to get people on the show as well, people who mistakenly taken or thought they were taking one drug, and taking another instead. it has been fatal. we know that there are pharmacies in mexico that sell a variety of medications that really we would require to have a prescription if it were sold in the united states of america. walk me through just how easy it would be, not only to get this, but how would someone be able to understand or know, identify themselves, whether what they're getting is legitimate or fentanyl?
remember about the book is his comment that he took so many opioids that his colon burst. so maybe he just doesn't have much of a check reflex. like you seem to just talk to somebody. again like 100 percent that person put it all down and page and that went out. there are quite a few things in there even more than his romantic rival was that he wants taken back. >> greg: you hit on it the head. i have to read a book if somebody's colon explodes. because i need to know how that happens just in case. i want to see the warning signs before my colon explodes. because i don't know what it's like. it could just happen now if i get too angry. maybe -- >> more than 60 vicodin or fentanyl a day. >> greg: yes, according -- i'm not quite there yet. jimmy the show was called friends. some friends right? this guy was near death every day and they just all showed up for work. no inventions on their part. >> jimmy: that's the part i love
the pain. so i kind of liked it and itsp just kind of spiraled out of control from there. so i found the most minor injury in the injuries kind of m provoked me into asking fore pills and that happened more and more . i sprained my ankle. i you know, i still play, but i need some pills and it just got worse and worse. >> and as you -- you know, you take so many for so long, then those are not goodod enouge you have t to add one or two more . and so so at my worst i was w taking sixteen vicodin. yes. a just a handful at one time and we talked about it some last night. i knew it was a problem. you know, i knew it was a problem way before that . but you know, it was to a point where i would throw up, i would have a gag reflex. nt
>> it can be disguised as another drug. >> it is poisoning, not overdose and the deception that's happening. >> apps like snapchat have faced heavy criticism by parents who say they are an open market for the sale and purchase of drugs. >> young people are on social media. it is often anonymous and it is accessible and easy. >> in 2021 the drug enforcement agency seized more than 20 million counterfeit pills. >> the criminal drug cartels in mexico are making pills to look exactly like an oxy, a percocet, vicodin, xanax, two milligrams of fentanyl is enough to kill someone. 10 or 20 tiny crystals of salt. >> we've got to talk about what our kids are being exposed to. >> what is in our warning and sharing our story we can save some of these other kids and we