Letitia James
An advertising agency that helped develop marketing campaigns for OxyContin and other prescription painkillers has agreed to pay U.S. states $350 million rather than face the possibility of trials over its role in the opioid crisis.
Publicis Health, part of the Paris-based media conglomerate Publicis Groupe, agreed to pay the entire settlement in the next two months, with most of the money to be used to fight the overdose epidemic.
It is the first advertising company to reach a major settlement over the toll of opioids in the U.S.
New York will receive $19,176,750.60 as a result of the agreement, which will be used to fund opioid abatement, treatment, and prevention.
The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led negotiations with the company, said Publicis worked with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma from 2010-2019, helping campaigns for OxyContin and other prescription opioids, Butrans and Hysingla.
James’ office said the materials played up the abuse-deterrent properties of OxyContin and promoted increasing patients’ doses. While the formulation made it harder to break down the drug for users to get a faster high, it did not make the pills any less addictive.
As part of the settlement, Publicis agreed to release internal documents detailing its work for Purdue and other companies that made opioids. The settlement also prohibits Publicis from accepting any future contracts or engagements related to the marketing or sale of opioids.
Under a separate lawsuit, drug maker Hikma Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $115 million in cash and provide $35 million worth of an overdose reversal drug to state, local and Native American tribal governments.
The attorneys general allege that from 2006 to 2021, Hikma failed to monitor and report suspicious opioid orders from potentially illegal distributors, even while its personnel knew their systems to monitor suspicious orders were inadequate and prone to failure. The settlement in principle will go toward opioid addiction treatment medication to resolve claims brought by states and local communities against Hikma.
The opioid crisis has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.
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