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Montana sues Purdue Pharma over deceptive opioid marketing tactics

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma LP, accusing it of deceptive marketing practices involving its prescription opioids, including OxyContin.

"As our investigation revealed and our complaint alleges, for years, Purdue knew the damage caused by OxyContin, and rather than scale back or eliminate distribution of the drug, it ramped-up deceptive marketing tactics to present the drug as 'safe,'" Fox said in a statement.

Fox also stated that Purdue manipulates doctors, lies to consumers, and that its actions contributed to thousands of deaths across the country.

The lawsuit claims Purdue misrepresented the possibility that long-term use of OxyContin could cause addiction, falsely claimed that OxyContin would improve overall health quality and failed to disclose the harmful side effects caused by long-term usage.

Fox alleges Purdue claimed that OxyContin worked for 12 hours, even though it knew that it did not for many patients, and also claimed that its new generation of abuse-deterrence opioids were safer and would prevent abuse and diversion.

In addition, the lawsuit alleges the company falsely claimed that opioids are safer than the alternative, non-narcotic treatment.

The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to stop the company's alleged deceptive marketing practices, along with "damages for, and abatement of, the public health epidemic that Purdue has created."

In addition, the suit seeks three times the amount of damages sustained by the state in paying for opioids through the Montana Medicaid Program and the Montana Healthcare Plan; and damages, including punitive damages, for money spent by the state due to Purdue's conduct.

Fox's lawsuit also asks for the disgorgement of Purdue's unjustified profit and the maximum civil penalties allowed for each violation of the law.

The company denied the allegations in a statement, saying that it was "deeply troubled" by the opioid crisis and was dedicated to being part of the solution, Reuters reported Dec. 4.

Purdue is currently the focus of many investigations, including scrutiny by federal prosecutors. Legal actions have been taken by many states, who are seeking to hold the drugmaker responsible for the opioid crisis in the U.S.

According to a Moody's report, drugmakers and distributors are facing increasing risks due to the opioid epidemic in the U.S. Other companies facing lawsuits for fueling the opioid crisis include Endo International plc and Johnson & Johnson.