Apr 23 Ex-CEO is first drug exec indicted in opioid crisis, U.S. Attorney says By Michael R. Sisak, Associated Press The indictment unsealed Tuesday alleges former Rochester Drug Co-Operative CEO Laurence Doud III ordered subordinates to ignore red flags about certain pharmacy customers to maximize company revenues and his own pay, which more than doubled between 2012 and 2016 as… Continue reading
Apr 17 Southern states slowly embracing harm reduction to curb opioid epidemic By Max Blau, Stateline In the Bible Belt, many Southerners who held conservative views often criticized harm reduction as something that encouraged — not ended — the use of drugs. But attitudes have shifted. Continue reading
Apr 04 Oklahoma drops some claims in lawsuit against opioid manufacturers By Tim Talley, Associated Press The state attorney general's office will continue to pursue allegations that the drugmakers created a public nuisance, which he says is the most important allegation against the drugmakers. Continue reading
Apr 02 Family behind OxyContin calls Massachusetts opioid suit false, misleading By Geoff Mulvihill, Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press The Sackler family says a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey that accuses Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma and the family of hiding the risks of opioids from doctors and patients is riddled with inaccurate and misleading statements. Continue reading
Mar 28 Watch 6:16 What New York state's lawsuit against Purdue Pharma says about U.S. opioid battle More than 400,000 people in the U.S. have died from opioid use in the past two decades. As the country tries to contain the crisis, many states and cities are challenging the drug manufacturers in court. The latest lawsuit, brought… Continue watching
Feb 08 Watch 9:36 This grieving family wants pharmaceutical companies held accountable for opioid deaths An estimated 400,000 Americans have died as a result of opioid use. But grieving families say the national response to the health crisis is inadequate. In her coverage of the epidemic, Associated Press reporter Claire Galofaro profiled Cheryl Juaire, who… Continue watching
Feb 01 Purdue Pharma family sought to profit off opioid crisis, filing alleges By Alanna Durkin, Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press While aggressively marketing OxyContin, the Sackler family also sought to profit off the drug abuse crisis its company helped create by exploring selling drugs used to treat addiction and reverse overdoses, state lawyers contend in previously secret parts of their… Continue reading
Jan 17 Drug maker pushed OxyContin despite danger signs, prosecutor says By Alanna Durkin Richer, Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press Details were made public in a case brought by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey that accuses Purdue Pharma, its executives and members of the Sackler family of deceiving patients and doctors about the risks of opioids and pushing prescribers to… Continue reading
Dec 26 These surprising health stories shaped 2018 By Laura Santhanam Gun violence, prolonged mental trauma for children and the ongoing opioid crisis were just a few of the major health stories that captured national attention this year. Continue reading
Dec 15 Purdue's secret OxyContin papers should be released, appeals court rules By David Armstrong, Andrew Joseph, STAT A Kentucky appeals court sided with STAT, upholding a ruling ordering the release of Purdue Pharma records about the marketing of the opioid OxyContin. Continue reading