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Hawaii will receive approximately $1.1 million from a $350 million national settlement with communication firm Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the organization’s role in the prescription opioid crisis, Attorney General Anne Lopez announced Friday. The funds will be used to help address the crisis.
“This is another significant milestone in our quest for accountability against those responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic,” Lopez said in a news release. “We hope this will discourage corporations from similar misconduct in the future and help provide a path forward for healing and recovery in our communities.”
According to the filing in Oahu’s First Circuit Court Opens in a new tab, Publicis contributed to the opioid crisis by helping Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers market and sell opioids. Publicis marketed all of Purdue Pharma’s branded opioid products, including OxyContin, developed sales tactics that relied on recordings of personal health-related conversations between patients and health care providers, and was “instrumental” in Purdue Pharma’s decision to market OxyContin on patient electronic health records.
The settlement agreement serves as Publicis’ acknowledgment of the harm its conduct caused, and will give communities most affected by the opioid crisis more financial support for treatment and recovery. Publicis will also disclose thousands of internal documents detailing its work for opioid companies on a public website.
Data from the state Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services and the Injury Prevention System Branch showed that there were 85 deaths attributed to opioid overdoses in 2021 and 98 in 2022.
“More significant than the dollars and cents in damage to our state, is the impact of opioid addiction, substance use and overdose deaths, which have torn families apart, damaged relationships and devastated communities,” DOH Director Dr. Kenneth Fink said in the release. “DOH is committed to ensuring that any funds allocated in settlements to the state through DOH will be stewarded responsibly, strategically and expeditiously.”
To date, Hawaii has received up to $18 million in legal settlements with drug manufacturers and other entities involved with the opioid crisis.
