Introducing Addiction411: Online Tool to Educate the MySpace Generation About Opioid Addiction

Introducing Addiction411: Online Tool to Educate the MySpace Generation About Opioid Addiction

Pharmaceutical company partners with leading Internet community to support people seeking information about dependence on opioid prescription painkillers and heroin

RICHMOND, Va., August 10, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announces the launch of Addiction411, the first-ever MySpace disease information Website developed to educate the public about dependence on opioids. Opioids include commonly prescribed painkillers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and methadone as well as heroin.

Addiction411 offers user-friendly information on:

• The dangers of misusing opioids and the red flags that may help identify addiction
• How recreational drug use can lead to addiction
• An interactive online addiction-identifier questionnaire
• Opioid addiction treatment options
• A physician locator to help people seeking office-based treatment for
  opioid dependence
• Other resources to find information and treatment.

"We are proud to be the first pharmaceutical company to partner with MySpace to provide their members with vital healthcare information," said Shaun Thaxter, president of Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc., marketers of Suboxone. "Dependence on opioid painkillers and heroin is a major public health crisis, and the rise of MySpace as a leading online community makes it an ideal way to share important information about this hidden epidemic. Our hope is that providing the MySpace generation information on opioid dependence will help prevent them from becoming dependent, or will allow them to find appropriate medical help for themselves, their friends, or their families."

In recent years, young people aged 16-25 have experienced a drastic increase in misuse of opioids, particularly prescription painkillers. Some six million Americans in all age groups, walks of life, and income brackets either misuse opioid painkillers or abuse heroin. Opioid dependence is recognized as a chronic brain disease by the World Health Organization and the National Institute for Drug Abuse.

Addiction411 is the first time that MySpace members will have direct access to information about this increasingly prevalent disease and practical guidance on how to find treatment. In the case of opioid dependence and addiction, many people's reluctance to speak openly about their disease is a huge self-imposed barrier to finding treatment. The endorsement of the MySpace community of Addiction411 can help solve this problem and will serve as a model for future health-related information.

Visit www.myspace.com/addiction411 if you or someone you know would like to access Addiction411.