Oregon receiving $5M for marketing firm’s role in opioid crisis
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon will receive $5.2 million as part of a nationwide settlement with global marketing firm Publicis for the company’s role in the opioid epidemic, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced Thursday.
The $350 million nationwide settlement follows investigations into the firm’s role in fueling the opioid crisis, Rosenblum said.
“Oregon’s $5.2 million share of the Publicis settlement will be added to the nearly one billion dollars our office has secured for Oregon in legal settlements with companies associated with the opioid crisis. It will go toward treatment and recovery for those Oregonians who suffer from substance use disorder,“ stated Rosenblum.
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From 2010 to 2019, Publicis – one if the largest healthcare advertising companies in the world – worked with Purdue to promote branded opioids such as OxyContin, Butrans, and Hysingla and helped with unbranded marketing campaigns, officials said.
The marketing firm created promotional messages, and other materials, for Purdue sales representatives to use with prescribers — targeting prescribers who were more likely to prescribe large amounts of opioids, the attorney general’s office said.
Rosenblum points out that Publicis was also “instrumental” in Purdue’s decision to market OxyContin to providers on patient electronic health records.
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“Our fight for accountability from the companies responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic doesn’t end with the manufacturers, distributors, or dispensers of the drugs. In fact, this is the second consulting firm we have settled with for their contributions —as clients of the drug companies —to this ongoing public health disaster. The toll the products promoted by Publicis has taken on Oregon families and communities is simply staggering, and it is only right for them to be held to account for their significant role,” added Rosenblum.
As part of the settlement, Publicis agreed to disclose thousands of internal documents on a public website detailing its work for opioid companies.
Publicis will also stop accepting client work related to opioid-based Schedule II and Schedule III controlled substances, per the agreement.
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Schedule II drugs have a high potential for drug abuse that can lead to severe dependence, and are considered dangerous, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.
Schedule II drugs include Vicodin, cocaine, meth, OxyContin, fentanyl, Adderall, and Ritalin.
Schedule III drugs have a moderate to low potential for drug abuse and include drugs such as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.
Every week, five Oregonians die from opioids, according to the Oregon Health Authority – noting deaths tripled from 2019 to 2022, which saw 956 deaths in the state.
Citing preliminary data, OHA says there were even more deaths in 2023.
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