the number of prescriptions of ocycontin rose to more than 14 million in 2001 and 2002 up from 316, 000 prescriptions in 1996. this represented almost $3 billion in sales compared to $44 million in 1996. purdue directly sponsored and/or gave grants for over "20, 000 pain-related educational programs" influencing doctors' prescribing in the united states from 1996 to july 2002. in 2002 during the united states senate committee on health, education, labor, and pensions hearing on "oxycontin: balancing risks and benefits", paul goldenheim reported that in 2001 alone purdue spent $200 million marketing oxycontin.