Oxycontin settlement approved
Yesterday, a federal district court judge approved an OxyContin settlement, where the drug maker and three company executives will pay a $634.5 million fine, be placed on probation and perform community service for their actions in misleading the public about the powerful painkiller’s risk of addiction.
>>PRIOR POST 6/25/07: OxyContin Settlement
In May, Purdue Pharma, its former president, top lawyer and former chief medical officer pled guilty to misdemeanor criminal charges of misbranding Oxycontin, by making false and misleading statements that the drug was not as addictive or likely to be abused as other pain medications. In reality, the drug is highly addictive, and many individuals who were given the drug for moderate pain management suffered life-ruining addiction, overdose and death.
U.S. District Judge James Jones issued his decision following a hearing to determine whether the settlement should be approved, or if jail time should be required. Several people testified at the hearing about the impact OxyContin addiction has had on their lives or the lives of their loved ones.
OxyContin is a time-released form of the painkiller oxycodon. Between 1996 and 2001, the number of deaths related to oxycodone increased five times, while the number of OxyContin prescriptions increased by nearly 20 times. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration indicated in 2002 that OxyContin caused at least 146 deaths and contributed to 318 more.
According to the terms of the OxyContin settlement approved by the court, company executives will pay $34.5 million and Purdue will pay $600 million. The company will also be placed on probation for five years while each of the three executives will be on probation for three years. The former president, former chief medical officer and Purdue lawyer will each also be required to perform 400 hours of community service geared toward preventing abuse of prescription drugs.
WHO WILL RECEIVE THE OXYCONTIN SETTLEMENT?
The $634.5 million collected as part of the criminal fines will be distributed to law enforcement agencies, Medicare, state Medicaid programs, the federal government, a Virginia prescription monitoring program, as well as individuals who sued the company. Approximately $130 million has been allocated for resolving individual OxyContin lawsuits, but it is possible that the company may need to pay more than this amount to settle their civil liability.
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals who are pursuing OxyContin lawsuits after suffering serious injury or damages as a result of addiction or overdose. New claims are still being reviewed. To determine if you, a friend or family member may be entitled to a recovery, request a free claim evaluation.
UPDATE 9/4/2007: Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. is no longer reviewing potential new OxyContin lawsuits.
4 Comments • Add Your Comments
Sue Rykowski says:
My daughter was prescribed oxycontin for a back injry and was immediatley addicted. she has lost her job, her medical license, her home, and will most likely serve jail time..she…we all need help
Posted on July 22, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Rick Crawford says:
my wife just passed away due to the effects of this medication. i am waiting for the reports from the doctor.
Posted on July 23, 2007 at 8:41 pm
J. B. says:
I had been on an ever-increasing dose of Oxycontin for years – I was not only addicted to this medince but eventually grew tolerant to it. This led to further use of stonger opioids – like – fentynal, morphone, etc. Every day I took ALL of these drugs until I eventually was fored out of work and became bed ridden. A few years later, I was lucky enough to stumble on a great doctor who placed me in a pain rehabilitation program (at a huge expense to my family) and am now free of pain opioids. I still have the pain, but have since learned better ways to cope then to become addicted. This drug was the begging to a terrible physical, financial, and emotional downfall for me and my family.
Posted on August 10, 2007 at 10:51 am
Misty says:
My dad was put on oxycontin about 10 years ago and eventually became addicted, after him and my mom finally moved to texas where he had wanted to live for years He found a doctor that wanted to help him get off the drug and told him that he would be fine to go off oxy’s and just start taking methadone and he would wheen him off that, well 2 months into that he had a stroke (after having a few in the last 2 years but before had he was perfectly healthy before oxys he was only 47 at this time) about 3-4 months later he passed away from a heart attack but as I said he had no health problems before all this I hope the makers of oxycontin get everything they deserve, So many people have suffered from this and not only the patients but there familys.
Posted on November 9, 2007 at 4:15 pm