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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Montana Joins Suit Against Drug Company For Aiding Opioid Abuse

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox at a press conference in Helena Monday
Corin Cates-Carney
/
Montana Public Radio
Montana Attorney General Tim Fox at a press conference in Helena Monday

Montana is suing the pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma. Attorney General Tim Fox held a press conference today to announce a consumer protection lawsuit against the Connecticut-based company.

Fox says Montana is joining over a dozen other states in alleging Purdue Pharma holds some of the blame for the rise in abuse of opioid drugs across the nation. Drugs like Perdue’s painkiller Oxycontin.

“This company has gone to great lengths to conceal the dangers of their product," Fox said, "while misleading and exploiting physicians in a way that creates thousands of addicts dependent on their drug. And it’s time put an end to this abuse.”

Fox says 90 percent or more of all opioid based medication prescribed in the state comes from Purdue.
 

The lawsuit was filed November 30 in Montana District Court.

Fox says the state is seeking significant damages and a settlement. "that prohibits this kind of behavior in the future and also give us meaningful measures and to hold these companies accountable in the future so that they don’t engage in these deceptive and harmful practices in the future.”

Montana joined more than 40 states back in September to demand information and documents from a handful of opioid manufactures in an investigation into the companies’ marketing and distribution practices.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, this week Gallatin County Commissioners are considering filing a suit against several drug companies for their marketing strategies in selling opioid based medication.

Corin Cates-Carney manages MTPR’s daily and long-term news projects. After spending more than five years living and reporting across Western and Central Montana, he became news director in early 2020.
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