EXCLUSIVE: A former senior DEA official who testified before Congress on the government's efforts to stop the opioid epidemic is now working for Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma
, is one of the opioid companies being sued by more than 1600 cities and counties for"grossly" misrepresenting"the risks of long-term use of those drugs for persons with chronic pain," according to court documents. The lawsuits have been consolidated into one case in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio. Purdue vigorously denies allegations that they deceptively marketed OxyContin.
Purdue has reportedly made more than $35 billion from the sale of OxyContin, a figure the company has not denied. Ashley said that 3.4 million Americans reported misusing prescription painkillers in 2016, and the scope of the opioid problem"underscores the need for a robust regulatory program that seeks to stop diversion of CPDs [controlled prescription drugs]."The avalanche of legal cases against opioid manufacturers and distributors has been likened to the lawsuits that were faced by the tobacco industry, which ultimately settled in 1998 for $206 billion.
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