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Alabama AG On Why The State Is Suing OxyContin Maker Purdue Pharma

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In this photo taken Feb. 9, 2017, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sits for a portrait in Montgomery, Ala. (Brynn Anderson/AP)
In this photo taken Feb. 9, 2017, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sits for a portrait in Montgomery, Ala. (Brynn Anderson/AP)

Alabama is the latest state to sue Purdue Pharma LP over the opioid crisis. Attorney General Steve Marshall alleges in a new lawsuit that the maker of OxyContin fueled a public health crisis with deceptive marketing practices.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson speaks with Marshall (@AGSteveMarshall), the attorney general of Alabama.


Purdue Pharma declined Here & Now's request for an on-air interview and issued the following statement:

“We are deeply troubled by the opioid crisis and we are dedicated to being part of the solution. As a company grounded in science, we must balance patient access to FDA-approved medicines, while working collaboratively to solve this public health challenge. Although our products account for approximately 2% of the total opioid prescriptions, as a company, we’ve distributed the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, developed the first FDA-approved opioid medication with abuse-deterrent properties and partnered with law enforcement to ensure access to naloxone. We vigorously deny these allegations and look forward to the opportunity to present our defense.”

This article was originally published on February 07, 2018.

This segment aired on February 7, 2018.

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