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OTHER STATES THAT HAVE SUED DRUG MAKERS INCLUDE OHIO, MISSOURI AND MISSISSIPPI. - MIKE HUNTER
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“They need to be honest when they make representations to doctors about the effect of a drug,” Burrage said. “With opioids, the doctors were lied to. I don’t know how else to say it.” The suit alleges the companies violated Oklahoma’s Medicaid False Claims Act and the Consumer Protection Act and created an ongoing public nuisance. “Over a period of several years, defendants executed massive and unprecedented marketing campaigns through which they misrepresented the risks of addiction from their opioids and touted unsubstantiated benefits,” the suit alleges. As a result of such conduct, the state paid and continues to pay millions of dollars in health care costs due to dependency, the suit alleges. “These costs include unnecessary and excessive opioid prescriptions, substance abuse treatment series,
ambulatory series, inpatient hospital service and emergency department services, among others,” the suit alleges. “Defendants conduct also caused the state of Oklahoma to incur substantial social and economic costs including criminal justice costs, and lost work productivity costs, among others.” The suit alleges the companies hired large forces of sales representatives who misrepresented the drugs to doctors by saying the risk of addiction was low and touting unsubstantiated benefits. The doctors were doing what the drug companies told them was safe, Burrage said. In a statement, Purdue Pharma pointed out its work in developing abuse-deterrent technology and supporting access to Naloxone, which is used to block the effects of opioids, especially in overdose. “While we vigorously deny the allegations in the complaint, we share
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