OxyContin

Purdue argued that the drug it had been selling for nearly 15 years was so prone to abuse that generic manufacturers should not be allowed to copy it. Three years later, on April 16, 2013, the day several OxyContin patents were set to expire, the FDA gave Purdue what they wanted - banning anyone else from selling generic OxyContin. The change of heart coincided with two developments. First, an increasing number of addicts, unable to afford OxyContin's high street price, were turning to cheaper alternatives like heroin. Second, OxyContin was nearing the end of its patents.