Purdue Pharma Faces Yet Another Lawsuit as Idaho Sues Maker of OxyContin

Purdue Pharma is facing yet another lawsuit over their alleged role in the opioid crisis, this time from Idaho. The state is suing the OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, which owns the company. The Idaho lawsuit accuses them of mounting one of the “deadliest marketing campaigns in history”.

Attorney General Lawrence G. Wasden filed the suit in Idaho’s Fourth Judicial District Court, echoing the sentiments of dozens of other states’ attorneys general who have already sued the opioid manufacturing company. The main concern is that the family profited from creating the opioid crisis, which is killing thousands of Americans each year.

Wasden’s suit also names eight members of the Sackler family, including Richard Sackler, Theresa Sackler, Kathe Sackler, Jonathan Sackler, Mortimer D.A. Sackler, Beverly Sackler, David Sackler, and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt.

Of the thousands of lawsuits filed against Purdue Pharma, only a few dozen name members of the Sackler family in particular, and now the Idaho lawsuit is among them.

“Between 1999 and 2017, Idaho’s opioid-related death rate nearly tripled. In 2015 alone, approximately 1.3 million opioid prescriptions were written in Idaho—nearly one prescription for every man, woman, and child in the State. This crisis and its consequences could and should have been avoided,” the lawsuit said.

A representative for Purdue Pharma said in a statement: “Purdue Pharma vigorously denies the allegations contained in litigation against the company and will continue to defend itself against these misleading attacks. These sensationalized claims are part of a continuing effort to try these cases in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system, as plaintiffs are unable to connect the conduct alleged to the harm described. Instead, they have invented stunningly overbroad legal theories, which if adopted by courts, will undermine the bedrock legal principle of causation.”

Further, a representative for the Mortimer and Raymond Sackler families said in a statement that the lawsuit “is yet another misguided attempt to place blame where it does not belong for a complex public health crisis. We strongly deny these allegations, which are inconsistent with the factual record, and will vigorously defend against them.”

“We have always acted properly and are committed to supporting solutions that save lives by preventing addiction and abuse of prescription medicines and treating those who are suffering from addiction,” the statement added.

The Idaho lawsuit claims that the family earned money by using marketing campaigns that changed the community’s perception of opioids, both by downplaying the risks associated with the drugs and by aggressively encouraging much broader use than medically necessary or appropriate. Click the link to see Oklahoma City's top rehab placement programs.

The lawsuit alleges that the company “misled and deceived doctors into prescribing more of Purdue’s opioids, in increasingly dangerous doses, and for longer periods of time, while persuading doctors and patients alike to forego safer alternatives.”

Just like the other lawsuits, this implies that the marketing techniques used by the drug company eventually caused the current opioid crisis. Though various efforts are being made to control the situation, about 130 Americans are dying every day due to opioid-related overdose.

If someone in the family is struggling with opioid or alcohol addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against drug abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a nearby addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.