Purdue’s Ad Agency Settles Oxycontin Lawsuit

For the very first time, a company that worked on Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin ads has settled a lawsuit claiming they falsely said opioids were safe, according to CNN.

Publicis, a French marketing firm, agreed to pay $350 million within two months and won’t work with any more opioid companies, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James. She and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser led the talks, joined by eight other states.

“For ten years, Publicis helped opioid makers like Purdue Pharma convince doctors to give out too many opioids, which made the opioid crisis worse and hurt communities everywhere,” said James. “Money can’t make up for the lives lost and the addiction caused, but with this deal, Publicis will stop their illegal actions.”

Why is a Marketing Firm Being Held Liable for Oxycontin?

A marketing firm can be …

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Boston Lawsuit Eyes PBMs as Culpable in Opioid Epidemic

The city of Boston is intensifying its legal efforts against the opioid epidemic by filing a lawsuit targeting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The city’s complaint alleges that these PBMs collaborated with drug makers to promote the use of prescription opioids like Oxycontin, contributing to the emergence of an illegal market for these potent drugs.

Large companies like Express Scripts Pharmacy, ESI Mail Pharmacy Services, and Optum Rx are named defendants in the lawsuit, with the city claiming that these PBMs acted as “gatekeepers to the opioid market.

Zeroing In on PBM Optum Rx

Optum Rx, in response to the accusations, denied any wrongdoing and asserted its commitment to addressing the opioid issue. The lawsuit involves the city of Boston, its Public Health Commission, and the Boston Housing Authority as plaintiffs. While most lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic have …

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Oxycontin Billionaire Sackler Family Shielded From Lawsuits

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As part of a six billion dollar opioid settlement by the makers of Oxycontin, the Sackler family will be shielded from lawsuits. Rather than being held personally responsible for the effects of the opioid epidemic, instead, the company Purdue Pharma will pay billions of dollars over time.

What Is The Sackler Settlement For?

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York affirmed the plan last Tuesday. Under this new agreement, members of the Sackler family give up ownership of Purdue Pharma. Purdue will now be called Knoa. The drugmaker’s profits are being sent to a fund to prevent and treat addiction.

In addition to giving up Purdue, members of the Sackler family will give  $5.5 billion to $6 billion in cash over time to make up for the effects of the opioid epidemic. Over time, they’re expected to …

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Fentanyl Overdoses Among The Young Are Killing

Young people are getting back together in real life, and with that socializing comes new experiences. Kids are being kids, pushing boundaries, partying, and rebelling. Snapchat, TikTok, and other apps put things like Molly pills and other club drugs in their hands overnight. Many of the drug dealers drop off packages in mailboxes at night. And the drug users, aged as young as fourteen or as old as in their 30s, don’t have the experience or know-how to test their drugs for fentanyl. And due to their lack of opioid exposure, this leads to overdoses – and death. Teens and young adults are overdosing at record rates.

Why Are Drugs Tainted With Fentanyl?

Nobody knows just one reason for drugs being tainted with fentanyl. Often the powder for club drugs and opioids comes from overseas. Drug dealers may mix the …

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Some Individuals Will Get Small Opioid Lawsuit Payouts

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Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of Oxycontin, recently settled lawsuits from the government for billions of dollars over their role in the opioid epidemic. The money was meant to cover both the human toll and the strain on society, including the medical community. Instead, the opioid epidemic touched every corner of America, and billions of dollars are being diverted to the cause of addiction prevention and treatment.

However, even as these payouts go out to governments, there are still incredible losses for the communities to bear. The most significant losses, of course, are the victims of overdoses and their families. For them, there will be just a small, token payout for their suffering.

Families Still Struggle With the Aftermath

As the financial details were being finalized for the most significant drug company settlements in history, families across the US gathered items …

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New Book Sheds Light on Sacklers, Scrupleless Oxycontin Makers

A new book lifts back the veil on the history of the Sackler family, the people who owned and invested heavily in the marketing and manufacturing of Oxycontin. “Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty” goes into the history of the family, the source of their wealth, and their downfall as they settled lawsuits that drove the out of business.

OxyContin, the addictive painkiller known to be more powerful than morphine, is considered to be a driving force of the opioid crisis. In fact, Purdue Pharma recently settled with the government after facing hundreds of lawsuits over their practices. Doctors were said to be bribed, marketed to heavily, and even had salespeople downplay the possibilities of side effects, withdrawal, or addiction.

About the Sacklers: Oxycontin Millionaires

The Sackler family is one of the richest in America, and …

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McKinsey Settles Oxy Accusations for 573 Million

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McKinsey, a consulting firm that worked for Purdue Pharma, Oxycontin’s creator, has been under the microscope. This week, they agreed to pay the government 574 million dollars for their actions that helped cause the opioid epidemic. The company worked with Purdue to create new strategies meant to “turbocharge sales” and admitted no harm but agreed to pay out the settlement. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the firm had been “part of a machine that… destroyed lives”.

The Accusations Against McKinsey

McKinsey is accused of advising Purdue to pressure doctors through sales calls, especially targeting doctors who were already known to be “high-level prescribers.” In doing so, they also asked sales associates to be careful to subvert the authorities. Their goal was simply to help doctors avoid prescribing limits that states were trying to uphold.

When higher-ups at McKinsey realized …

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Doctors Seeing Increased Overdose Deaths

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The pandemic death toll is both startling and sad, but other crises, including the addiction epidemic alongside the pandemic. Doctors say that overdose deaths from the opioid epidemic are higher than they have been in years, leaving families heartbroken. The damage has largely been uncounted by the media due to the unrest and pandemic, but it’s a true problem that is bubbling beneath the surface.

Places Hit Hard By Overdose Deaths

Overdoses have increased across the board in regions already hard-hit by the addiction epidemic. In Louisiana, “Just to give you some numbers, we had 233 total overdoses in 2020 compared to 154 in 2019,” said the Jefferson Parish Coroner  Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich. ”We have seen an increase in methamphetamine as well. Still, the biggest increase is in fentanyl, literally if you are just going from year to year, in …

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Sackler Family Members To Testify Before Congress

David and Kathe Sackler agreed with the House Oversight Committee to appear at a hearing set for this Thursday. The two family members, who helped steer the direction of Purdue Pharmaceuticals, will be answering questions about their role in the opioid crisis. Both seemed hesitant to appear at the hearing and were threatened with a subpoena if they did not appear willingly.

Purdue and the Sackler family owners have been at the center of thousands of lawsuits for years over their role in the opioid epidemic. The opioid epidemic, fueled by Oxycontin prescriptions and reckless prescribing, has taken over 450,000 lives over the past ten years.

Purdue Chief Executive Craig Landau is testifying at the hearing as well. His testimony was planned in advance.

Purdue Pharma’s Guilty Plea

In November, Purdue Pharmaceuticals pleaded guilty to criminal charges concerning their …

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25 State Attorneys Oppose Oxy Settlement

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Twenty-five State attorneys have signed a letter opposing any settlements between the Justice Department and Purdue Pharmaceutical, Oxycontin’s manufacturers.

Purdue, owned by the infamous Sackler family, is preparing to settle a lawsuit with dozens of cities and counties across the United States. The suit itself is over their aggressive marketing and obfuscation with their addictive drug Oxycontin.

The Argument Against the Settlement

The attorneys say that the settlement does more harm than good. By forcing the state to oversee the settlement, the settlement will “improperly entangle state and local officials with future sales of the company’s addictive pain drug OxyContin.” The Justice Department has stipulated that Purdue transforms itself into a “public benefit company.” By becoming such an establishment, it would be run “on behalf” of the cities, states, and counties who are suing it.

The company, therefore, would need …

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