Publicis opioid settlement overview:
- Who: Publicis reached a $350 million opioid settlement with all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories.
- Why: The Publicis settlement resolves allegations it used deceptive marketing to push OxyContin on physicians and patients.
- Where: The Publicis opioid lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts Superior Court.
Publicis agreed to pay $350 million to settle a lawsuit with all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories over allegations it used deceptive marketing to sell OxyContin to physicians and patients, Law360 reports.
The Publicis settlement will resolve a lawsuit filed by the state of Massachusetts that alleged the French multinational advertising and public relations company worked with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma between 2010 and 2019 to push the opioid pills onto prescribers.
Publicis allegedly placed OxyContin advertisements on patients’ medical records and developed messaging to counter the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines regarding opioid prescriptions, according to Law360.
Georgia filed a lawsuit Feb. 1 to qualify for the Publicis settlement and alleged the company engaged in nefarious tactics to promote OxyContin.
Publicis subsidiary Verilogue allegedly provided prescribers small digital recording devices to record intimate conversations with patients and used those private conversations to develop strategies to address patients’ reservations about the opioid, according to Georgia’s Publicis opioid lawsuit.
Massachusetts AG: Publicis settlement to provide funds for opioid treatment, services
Publicis denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle the opioid lawsuit to bring the litigation to a close.
The settlement will require Publicis to stop its opioid marketing efforts and pay the states amounts ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to tens of millions of dollars, Law360 reports, noting that California will receive more than $34 million.
“For years, Publicis Health’s marketing schemes helped fuel the nationwide opioid crisis, which has shattered some of our most vulnerable communities, while creating significant financial strain on our state systems,” Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell says in a statement. “I am proud of my team’s national leadership in securing this settlement, which will not only bolster accountability and transparency for this ongoing crisis but will also provide millions of dollars for much needed treatment and services to support individuals and families across Massachusetts.”
Johnson & Johnson recently reached a nearly $150 million opioid settlement with the state of Washington.
What do you think about the Publicis opioid settlement? Join the discussion in the comments!
Massachusetts is represented by Ethan W. Marks, Chloe Cable and Gregory A. Hardy of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office.
The Publicis opioid lawsuit is Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Publicis Health LLC, Case No. 2184-CV-01055-BLS1, in the Superior Court of Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
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6 thoughts onPublicis to pay $350M in nationwide opioid settlement
i have taken several opioids due to chronic pain for over 5 years. (Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen , Oxycodone)
I was prescribed 120mg/day of OxyContin for two years. Had to go to rehab to get off of it which ended up costing me $25,000 not to mention the toll it took on my life.
I filled a lawsuit years ago on Purdue for opiod addiction including Vicodin Norco,but why wasn’t I payed
Son had used and abused.
I think the people should be getting more money than the states and everyone else. We are the ones that got hurt, not the state well the after effects yes. But think about it lets mess over the little guy again..
ABOUT TIME THIS ARRIVED