June 12, 2024
UW research finds pharma companies increased opioids marketing after Purdue Pharma lawsuit
New research from the University of Washington examines the behavior of prescription opioid companies following key events in Kentucky’s lawsuit against Purdue Pharma regarding its controlled-release oral formulation of oxycodone hydrochloride (OxyContin).
While Purdue Pharma significantly decreased its marketing budget for OxyContin, the UW researchers found that Kentucky’s litigation had the opposite effect on competing companies, with those companies marketing opioids to physicians previously pursued by Purdue Pharma, including in counties where the opioid crisis was known to be severe.
These findings suggest that legal actions against individual companies can have unintended and counterproductive side effects, with competitors moving to fill voids as companies reduce engagement in questionable practices.