For the first time, a database maintained by the Drug Enforcement Administration that tracks the path of every single pain pill sold in the United States — by manufacturers and distributors to pharmacies in every town and city — has been made public.
The Washington Post sifted through nearly 380 million transactions from 2006 through 2012 that are detailed in the DEA’s database and analyzed shipments of oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, which account for three-quarters of the total opioid pill shipments to pharmacies. The Post is making this data available at the county and state levels in order to help the public understand the impact of years of prescription pill shipments on their communities.
These records provide an unprecedented look at the surge of legal pain pills that fueled the prescription opioid epidemic, which resulted in nearly 100,000 deaths during the seven-year time frame ending in 2012.
A county-level analysis of the cumulative data shows where the most oxycodone and hydrocodone pills were distributed across the country over that time: more than 76 billion in all.
Number of pills distributed per person, per year
Average yearly total, by county, 2006 through 2012
Use two fingers to pan around the map.Pinch to zoom.
Tap a district to see details
The Post gained access to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System, known as ARCOS, as the result of a court order. The Post and HD Media, which publishes the Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia, waged a year-long legal battle for access to the database, which the government and the drug industry had sought to keep secret.
The version of the database published by The Post allows readers to learn how much hydrocodone and oxycodone went to individual states and counties, and which companies and distributors were responsible.
Find the data for where you live
Visit this page on a desktop computer to download the data.
Visit this page on a desktop computer to download the data.
Visit this page on a desktop computer to download the data.
The Post believes this is a critically important set of data, which is why we are making it public and accessible to readers and other journalists. We think there are hundreds of stories within this data set and need your help to understand what it means to you and your community. Want to use this data or our findings in your own work? Click here to find out how.
There were no prescription pain pill transactions for this county in the data.
The Post analysis shows that the volumes of the pills handled by the companies climbed as the epidemic surged, increasing 51 percent from 8.4 billion in 2006 to 12.6 billion in 2012. Yearly county-level maps show how the influx of pills spread.
Just six companies distributed 75 percent of the pills — oxycodone and hydrocodone — during this period: McKesson Corp., Walgreens, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, CVS and Walmart, according to an analysis of the database by The Washington Post.
Top pill distributors, 2006 through 2012
Click on a column to sort the table.
| Distributor | Percent of market | |
|---|---|---|
|
McKesson Corp. |
14 billion pills |
18.4% |
|
Walgreens |
13 billion pills |
16.5% |
|
Cardinal Health |
11 billion pills |
14.0% |
|
AmerisourceBergen |
9.0 billion pills |
11.7% |
|
CVS |
5.9 billion pills |
7.7% |
|
Walmart |
5.3 billion pills |
6.9% |
|
Smith Drug Co. |
1.3 billion pills |
1.8% |
|
Rite Aid |
1.3 billion pills |
1.7% |
|
Kroger |
1.2 billion pills |
1.6% |
|
H. D. Smith |
1.1 billion pills |
1.5% |
|
Anda, Inc |
1.1 billion pills |
1.5% |
|
Kaiser Permanente |
880 million pills |
1.1% |
|
Morris & Dickson Co |
880 million pills |
1.1% |
|
Thrifty Payless Inc |
870 million pills |
1.1% |
|
Eckerd Corporation |
780 million pills |
1.0% |
|
Omnicare Distribution Center LLC |
700 million pills |
0.9% |
|
Kinray Inc |
630 million pills |
0.8% |
|
N C Mutual Wholesale Drug Co |
550 million pills |
0.7% |
|
Smith's Food & Drug Ctr's Inc |
500 million pills |
0.7% |
|
The Harvard Drug Group |
410 million pills |
0.5% |
|
Advantage Logistics |
380 million pills |
0.5% |
|
Value Drug Co |
310 million pills |
0.4% |
|
Publix Super Markets, Inc. |
280 million pills |
0.4% |
|
River City Pharma |
270 million pills |
0.4% |
|
SAJ Distributors |
270 million pills |
0.4% |
|
HEB Grocery Company, LP |
240 million pills |
0.3% |
|
Harco |
210 million pills |
0.3% |
|
Valley Wholesale Drug Co |
210 million pills |
0.3% |
|
Associated Pharmacies Inc |
190 million pills |
0.3% |
|
Louisiana Wholesale Drug Co |
190 million pills |
0.3% |
|
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals |
180 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Frank W Kerr Inc |
170 million pills |
0.2% |
|
KeySource Medical |
160 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Top Rx, Inc. |
160 million pills |
0.2% |
|
American Drug Stores |
150 million pills |
0.2% |
|
American Sales Company |
140 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Longs Drug Store |
130 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Quest Pharmaceuticals Inc |
120 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Miami-Luken |
120 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Hy-Vee |
110 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Pharmacy Buying Association |
110 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Mc Queary Brothers |
100 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Meijer Distribution Inc #90 |
100 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Rochester Drug Co-Operative Inc |
100 million pills |
0.1% |
|
HBC Service Company |
93 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. |
85 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Dakota Drug |
79 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Dik Drug Co |
78 million pills |
0.1% |
|
KPH Healthcare Services, Inc. |
76 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Albertsons LLC |
74 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Aphena Pharma Solutions |
71 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Sunrise Wholesale, Inc |
66 million pills |
0.1% |
|
P J C Distributor Co Inc |
65 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Wakefern Food Corporation |
65 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Auburn Pharmaceutical |
62 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Winn Dixie Logistics |
58 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Southwood Pharmaceuticals Inc |
57 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Discount Drug Mart |
54 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Dispensing Solutions |
52 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Prescription Supply Inc |
51 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Murfreesboro Pharmaceutical |
47 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Burlington Drug Company |
46 million pills |
0.1% |
|
NuCare Pharmaceuticals |
45 million pills |
0.1% |
|
DRx Pharmaceutical Consultants, Inc. |
40 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Bellco Drug Corp |
39 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Bryant Ranch Prepack |
37 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Schnucks Pharmacy Distribution Ctr |
37 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Drogueria Betances |
36 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Bloodworth Wholesale Drugs |
36 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Expert-Med |
35 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Henry Schein Inc |
34 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Actavis Pharma |
32 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Heartland Repack Services |
32 million pills |
0.0% |
|
D & K Healthcare Resources |
26 million pills |
0.0% |
|
White Drug 61 |
26 million pills |
0.0% |
|
PD-Rx Pharmaceuticals Inc |
26 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Cedardale Distributors LLC, DBA Gen-Source RX |
25 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Altura Pharmaceuticals, Inc |
24 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Richie Pharmacal |
24 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Stat Rx USA LLC |
23 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Paragon Enterprises Inc |
22 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Dixon-Shane LLC |
22 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Dohmen Distribution Partners |
22 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Mallinckrodt LLC |
21 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Allscripts, LLC |
20 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Lake Erie Medical |
20 million pills |
0.0% |
|
King Drug Company of Florence |
18 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Aidarex Pharmaceuticals LLC |
16 million pills |
0.0% |
|
DIT Healthcare Distributio |
14 million pills |
0.0% |
|
QK Healthcare, Inc. |
13 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Moore Medical LLC |
13 million pills |
0.0% |
|
H J Harkins Company Inc |
12 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Genetco Inc |
12 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Lifeline Pharmaceuticals LLC |
12 million pills |
0.0% |
|
MWI Veterinary Supply |
9.9 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Duane Reade |
9.7 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Medsource Pharmaceuticals |
9.5 million pills |
0.0% |
|
JM Blanco Inc |
9.1 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Physicians Total Care |
9.0 million pills |
0.0% |
|
Amneal Pharmaceuticals |
8.9 million pills |
0.0% |
Three companies manufactured about 88 percent of the opioids: SpecGx, a subsidiary of Mallinckrodt; Actavis Pharma; and Par Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Endo Pharmaceuticals.
Top pill manufacturers, 2006 through 2012
Click on a column to sort the table.
| Labeler | Percent of market | |
|---|---|---|
|
SpecGx |
29 billion pills |
37.7% |
|
Actavis Pharma |
26 billion pills |
34.5% |
|
Par Pharmaceutical |
12 billion pills |
15.7% |
|
Purdue Pharma |
2.5 billion pills |
3.3% |
|
Amneal Pharmaceuticals |
2.3 billion pills |
2.9% |
|
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA |
690 million pills |
0.9% |
|
KVK Tech |
580 million pills |
0.8% |
|
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals |
380 million pills |
0.5% |
|
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals |
370 million pills |
0.5% |
|
Endo Pharmaceuticals |
300 million pills |
0.4% |
|
Ethex Corporation |
290 million pills |
0.4% |
|
AbbVie Inc. |
250 million pills |
0.3% |
|
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. |
240 million pills |
0.3% |
|
UCB, Inc. |
180 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
140 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Cardinal Health |
120 million pills |
0.2% |
|
Dispensing Solutions Inc. |
95 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Golden State Medical Supply, Inc. |
85 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Aphena Pharma Solutions - Tennessee, LLC |
74 million pills |
0.1% |
|
McKesson Corp. |
65 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
55 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Forest Laboratories, Inc. |
47 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Bryant Ranch Prepack |
37 million pills |
0.1% |
|
Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc |
31 million pills |
0.0% |
|
A-S Medication Solutions |
28 million pills |
0.0% |
Comparing county-level maps of opioid overdose deaths and pill shipments reveal a virtual opioid belt of more than 90 counties stretching southwest from Webster County, W.Va., through southern Virginia and ending in Monroe County, Ky. This swath includes 18 of the top 20 counties ranked by per-capita prescription opioid deaths nationwide and 12 of the top 20 counties for opioid pills distributed per capita.
Number of pills per person per year
Average county yearly total 2006 through 2012
5
75
150+
Opioid Deaths
Cumulative opioid death rate 2006 through 2012
0
15
30+
per 100,000
people
Source: Data compiled by the DEA and CDC and
analyzed by The Post
Number of pills per person per year
Average county yearly total 2006 through 2012
5
75
150+
Opioid Deaths
Cumulative opioid death rate 2006 through 2012
0
15
30+
per 100,000
people
Source: Data compiled by the DEA and CDC and
analyzed by The Post
Number of pills per person per year
Opioid Deaths
Average county yearly total 2006 through 2012
Cumulative opioid death rate 2006 through 2012
5
75
150+
0
15
30+
per 100,000
people
Source: Data compiled by the DEA and CDC and analyzed by The Post
Number of pills per person per year
Opioid Deaths
Average county yearly total 2006 through 2012
Cumulative opioid death rate 2006 through 2012
5
75
150+
0
15
30+
per 100,000
people
Source: Data compiled by the DEA and CDC and analyzed by The Post
Number of pills per person per year
Opioid Deaths
Average county yearly total 2006 through 2012
Cumulative opioid death rate 2006 through 2012
5
75
150+
0
15
30+
per 100,000
people
Source: Data compiled by the DEA and CDC and analyzed by The Post
About this story
The Washington Post analyzed data from the Drug Enforcement Administration's Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System, known as ARCOS, from 2006 to 2012.
Data analyzed includes only shipments from sales of oxycodone and hydrocodone pills to retail pharmacies, chain pharmacies and practitioners. The entire database tracks a dozen different opioids, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, which make up three-quarters of the total pill shipments to pharmacies.
Originally published July 16, 2019.
Data analysis by Steven Rich, Aaron Williams and Andrew Ba Tran. Graphics, design and development by Armand Emamdjomeh, Kevin Schaul, Jake Crump and Chris Alcantara. Editing by Danielle Rindler, Tim Meko and Matt Callahan. Additional development by Jason Holt.
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