Purdue Pharma, the Sacklers, and Oxycodone by Annika Noel

Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty for Marketing of OxyContin   

By Annika Noel

  The opioid pandemic in America has been going on for a very, very long time. Even before oxycodone, also known as OxyContin was released, people were still dying from overdoses and other health problems related to opioids. There have been 3 distinguished waves of the opioid pandemic and it first began in the early 1990s and since then to now has killed over 450,000 people. This epidemic has killed so many, destroyed communities, and devastated families but recently a very big step forward has happened for those wronged by Oxycodone, one very powerful and popular opioid. 

    Lawsuits have been happening for years against Purdue Pharma but they haven't pleaded guilty to any charges against them since 2007 when they pled guilty to misleading the government, doctors, and patients about its drug. Finally, they have admitted to illegally marketing their product OxyContin to patients, doctors, and other distributors. This is only a start in the litigation that will be pursued against the company by so many affected by its product and distribution methods. There are many states, tribes, cities, and counties looking to prosecute against the company and the Sacklers behind the company for the consequences of their crimes. This case by the federal government against Purdue Pharma is a separate and distinctive case that is very important to the opioid epidemic but will not be prosecuting against other opioid-related cases like lawsuits against other manufacturers. 

    The main message of the case, that sets a mark for other cases pertaining to opioids in the future is that they will be persecuted for relentless marketing that directly causes a rise in addiction and deaths. When there is a rise in addictions and overdoses in an area it doesn't just influence individuals and families with a loss but also with towering fees related to the addiction and even the ailment leading up to the addiction, but unemployment in a community, and more fees relating to law enforcement. 

    One of the standout parts of the lawsuit against Purdue Pharma is the amount of Anti-kickback Laws violated in favor of the drug and profits of the company. These anti-kickback laws are made to prevent companies from getting recruiters and specifically engineering things to get repeat customers, and in this case, a repeat customer of an opioid generally leads to harmful drug addiction. They also admitted guilty to defrauding federal health agencies and the fines in criminal fines will be $3.54 billion and $2 billion for criminal forfeiture of profits. Purdue specifically pleads guilty to marketing OxyContin to doctors they suspected of writing illegal prescriptions. In laymen's terms, they made sure to market to the doctors that were already drug dealers because they knew those doctors were more likely to buy more of their highly addictive substance. On top of everything else they admitted guilt for, they also admitted to paying kickbacks to Practice Fusion, an electric health records company for implanting pop ups in doctors' computers for oxycodone. This was all done for the goal of increasing prescriptions to patients for OxyContin and increasing the companies profits no matter the adverse effects it was having to the country, even to the point of creating an epidemic and killing more than 400,000 people. 

    With the lawsuits going through the court system, Purdue Pharma has filed for company bankruptcy meaning that most of the fines they were going to pay are going be much less than intended by the federal courts. The Sackler family, one of the richest families in America and the family behind Purdue Pharma will also be paying a number of fines for their part in the companies practices. Most of the Sackler's wealth is a direct result of their sales of OxyContin to people and its highly addictive qualities and the harmful marketing of it. The family has surprisingly not filed for bankruptcy yet and for now, they have agreed to a number of fines that will be paid. Many are disappointed in the ramifications of the company after this case but many are also satisfied that it remaining a private company after resurfacing will be a good idea. 

    The full results of this court case and the money paid to communities and families is yet to be seen but people are currently rejoicing at this momentous case. This will hopefully lead to more fully prosecuted and won cases against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors that will satisfy the families of those who are victims of the opioid epidemic and communities everywhere. This is a very big but beginning step to a more safe and healthy country. 

Sources- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/21/health/purdue-opioids-criminal-charges.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20201021&instance_id=0&nl=breaking-news&ref=cta&regi_id=106253631&segment_id=41743&user_id=55da99fbba22c536937fc0c9ff0bdb53