(The Center Square) – Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor announced Thursday that the state will receive more than $780,000 in a settlement with Publicis Health as part of a $350 million national settlement.
The state will use this funding to address the effects of opioid misuse and the harm it has caused to Alaska and its residents.
“Alaska has been hit hard by the opioid crisis,” Taylor said.
Publicis Health is a global marketing company with 40 offices around the world.
The Anchorage filing details Publicis Health's role in promoting opioid-based Schedule II or Schedule III controlled substances to companies like Allergan USA, Inc. Endo Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson, McKesson.Purdue Pharma LP; and Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
OxyContin, one of the most addictive opioid drugs, was branded by Publicis Health for its client Purdue Pharma through a questionable sales strategy that led to “patient “Contributed to Purdue's decision to sell OxyContin to electronic health record providers,” the governor's office said.
As part of the settlement, Publicis Health will “terminate current agreements related to the marketing, promotion, advertising, sale, prescription, or use of opioids or other opioid-based Schedule II or Schedule III controlled substances and terminate future agreements. I agreed that I would not accept it. Listed under the Federal Controlled Substances Act. ”
Publicis Health is also prohibited from providing services to “customers who sell or prescribe opioids or other opioid-based Schedule II or Schedule III controlled substances” or who “develop, manufacture, and distribute them.” I am.
The Alaska Department of Health reports that more than 3 out of 5 drug overdoses in Alaska involve opioids, 4 out of 5 heroin addicts start with prescription opioids, and 7 out of 5 drug overdoses in Alaska start with prescription opioids. % are using prescription painkillers without a prescription.
Mr. Taylor's recent settlement with Publicis Health is in line with Alaska's continued efforts to “hold accountable those responsible for causing and accelerating the crisis.” The settlement will offset the state's costs to combat drug addiction.
“My office is determined to hold companies that acted in bad faith accountable for their actions,” Taylor said.
Attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the settlement.
