By Jonathan Mattise / Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An unsealed lawsuit by Tennessee’s attorney general says the maker of the world’s top-selling painkiller directed its salesforce to target the highest prescribers, many with limited or no pain management background.
Citing the public’s right to know, Attorney General Herbert Slatery said Thursday that OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma has dropped efforts to shield details of the 274-page lawsuit.
The lawsuit says the Connecticut-based company placed profits over people in a deceptive narrative that its opioids were safer than they were.
It says Purdue called on two providers 48 times after law enforcement told Purdue the pair was responsible for significant interstate OxyContin diversion.
The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government and the Knoxville News Sentinel also requested that the lawsuit’s records become public.
Purdue has denied claims in lawsuits nationwide, saying it will defend itself.
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