The Effects of Oxycontin Reformulation on Suicide

Abstract

Between 1999 and 2021, the opioid crisis has caused nearly 650000 opioid-related overdose deaths, with little sign of slowing down (CDC). However, the overdose death toll unlikely captures all the hidden costs of the opioid crisis. In this paper, I study whether a supply-side intervention on prescription drugs, the introduction of an abuse-deterrent formulation of OxyContin, increased suicide victims. Using the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) multiple Causes of Death data and leveraging cross-state variation in pre-reformulation OxyContin exposure, difference-in-difference estimates show that this intervention led to an increase in post-reformulation suicide victims. Moreover, this effect persists for victims whose underlying cause of death is not directly drug-related, suggesting psychological distress might play an essential role in this increase.

Bowen Tan

Ph.D. Candidate in Economics

Bowen Tan is a job market candidate in empirical health economics on the 2023 - 2024 job market.