NH Attorney Gen. explores opioid lawsuit

On Tuesday, September 29 New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster announced that the state is investigating a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that marketed prescription painkillers such as OxyContin to Granite State doctors.

A press release from the Attorney General’s office says that pharmaceutical companies may have minimized the risk of addiction from prescription opioids and overstated the benefits for treating chronic pain. 

“The growing heroin and opioid crisis is the most pressing public health and safety challenge facing our state, and it stems in part from the overuse, misuse, and abuse of addictive prescription opioids,” said Gov. Maggie Hassan.  “[T]his investigation will help us better understand and combat the causes of the heroin and opioid crisis.” 

Pharmaceutical companies – in particular Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin – are facing lawsuits over the marketing of prescription opioids in Chicago, two California counties, and the state of Kentucky.

In those cases, pharmaceutical companies have argued that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drugs for the marketed uses.  They insist that any dispute over marketing is a question for the FDA. 

Additionally, Purdue Pharma cites changes it made to OxyContin to reduce the risk of abuse. 

Do you think New Hampshire should sue pharmaceutical companies over prescription drug abuse?  Comment below!