RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced that Virginia will receive part of a $350 million settlement from a global health marketing firm for its role in accelerating the opioid crisis.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, Miyares announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health, a healthcare communications network after a lawsuit regarding the firm’s role in the prescription opioid crisis — with Virginia to receive $7.82 million from the settlement.
In agreeing to the terms of the settlement, Publicis Health acknowledged the harm its conduct caused and will disclose thousands of internal documents on a public website, which detail its work for opioid companies, such as Purdue Pharma.
According to the attorney general’s office, court documents detailed how Publicis Health acted as Purdue Pharma’s agency of record for all its branded opioid drugs, including OxyContin.
The agency also developed sales tactics relying on farming data from private recordings of personal health-related in-office conversations between patients and providers.
As part of the agreement, the firm will stop accepting client work related to opioid-based Schedule II or III controlled substances.
According to Attorney General’s Office, the agreement will also provide communities hit the hardest by the opioid epidemic with more financial support for treatment and recovery.
As of February, Virginia has obtained over $1 billion in legal settlements with drug manufacturers and others for their roles in the opioid crisis, according to the Miyares’ office.
According to Miyares, the $7.82 million secured from the settlement will go towards education, prevention and recovery efforts to address the opioid crisis.
