Advertising agency for OxyContin agrees to pay $350 million rather than face lawsuits

Source: PBS News Hour/AP

Feb 1, 2024 3:03 PM EST


An advertising agency that helped develop marketing campaigns for OxyContin and other prescription painkillers has agreed to pay U.S. states $350 million rather than face the possibility of trials over its role in the opioid crisis, attorneys general said Thursday. Publicis Health, part of the Paris-based media conglomerate Publicis Groupe, agreed to pay the entire settlement in the next two months, with most of the money to be used to fight the overdose epidemic.

It is the first advertising company to reach a major settlement over the toll of opioids in the U.S. It faced a lawsuit in at least Massachusetts but settled with most states before they made court claims against it. The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led negotiations with the company, said Publicis worked with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma from 2010-2019, helping campaigns for OxyContin and other prescription opioids, Butrans and Hysingla.

James’ office said the materials played up the abuse-deterrent properties of OxyContin and promoted increasing patients’ doses. While the formulation made it harder to break down the drug for users to get a faster high, it did not make the pills any less addictive.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said the company provided physicians with digital recorders so Publicis and Purdue could analyze conversations that the prescribers had with patients about taking opioids. As part of the settlement, Publicis agreed to release internal documents detailing its work for Purdue and other companies that made opioids.

Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/advertising-agency-for-oxycontin-agrees-to-pay-350-million-rather-than-face-lawsuits