Purdue Pharma Fueled Opioid Epidemic In PA, Attorney General Says

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit against a major pharmaceutical company, charging that they fueled the opioid epidemic in the state.

The announcement came Tuesday from Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who described a "systematic effort" by the company to take advantage of the addictions of Pennsylvania residents. The lawsuit says that the company marketed OxyContin as non-addictive, and gave countless patients access to the drug via prescription from health care providers.

"Between 2007 - 2019, Purdue sales staff flooded our Commonwealth, making more than half a million visits to PA prescribers," Shapiro said, noting that number outstrips the amount of visits made to any other state, save for California.

The lawsuit further alleges that Purdue even created a fake condition — "psuedo addiction" — to alleviate the concerns of doctors who were concerned about signs of addiction in patients. The only treatment for this condition, according to Purdue: more OxyContin.

Pennsylvania has been one of the states hit hardest by the opioid epidemic, according to numbers from the CDC. OxyContin addiction has driven up demand for heroin and the even more deadly fentanyl, responsible for the loss of thousands of lives.

It's a bad time for pharmaceutical giants in Pennsylvania. In a separate lawsuit announced on Monday, Pennsylvania joined 43 other states in filing lawsuits against numerous companies who were engaged in an illegal price-gouging scheme. Three Pennsylvania-based companies were among the 20 charged.

The latest suit is the result of an investigation that began back in 2017, and is also a cooperative effort between Pennsylvania and 41 other states. Other drug companies are being investigated by the Attorney General's Office for possible similar violations.

Officials said that Purdue had a very specific plan.

"They targeted the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including our seniors and veterans, and aggressively pushed doctors to prescribe unnecessary levels of opioids," Shapiro said. "All along, they knew how dangerous their drugs were and they knew that their claims were deceptive."

Purdue specifically targeted their marketing at doctors they knew had a history of suspicious prescribing activity, according to authorities.

The lawsuit demands a court order preventing Purdue from engaging in future deceptive tactics, as well as payment back to the state for all profits they derived from those tactics. The suit further asks Purdue to pay civil penalties of $1,000 for every violation of Consumer Protection Law, and $3,000 for each violation involving a patient 60-year-old or over.

Gov. Wolf issued a statement of support to the lawsuit, calling the alleged behavior "apalling."

“Purdue Pharma preyed on Pennsylvanians of all types, including the elderly and patients already struggling with opioid use disorder," he said. "...this deplorable company contributed to a crisis that has negatively impacted the lives of all Pennsylvanians."

In a statement given to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Purdue denied the allegations.

"Purdue will continue to defend itself against these misleading attacks," the statement read, adding that the lawsuit was "part of a continuing effort to try these cases in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system."

Purdue has faced the ire of lawmkers for some time now, as a massive joint lawsuit between cities around the country charging the company of similar deceptions was filed earlier this spring.

"We must hold corporations accountable for their greed and recklessness," US Sen. Bernie Sanders said of Purdue in a statement back in March. "The Sackler family (owners of Purdue) has to take responsibility for this crisis."

The company has already paid out multiple settlements, including $270 million to Oklahoma.