South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma that alleges that Stamford-based company “unfairly and deceptively marketed opioids, which helped create and fuel South Carolina”™s opioid epidemic.”
The lawsuit claims Purdue “significantly downplayed” the addictive nature of its opioids while exaggerating their benefits in comparison to other pain management solutions. Wilson said the company violated South Carolina”™s Unfair Trade Practices Act, failed to comply with the terms of a 2007 consent judgment with the state for similar conduct and created a public nuisance.
“South Carolina is not immune to the headlines we see daily about the toll of opioids on individual patients, families, and communities,” said Wilson, noting that his state ranks ninth in the nation for opioid prescription rates. “It has created a public health epidemic and imposed a significant burden on law enforcement and social services in our state.”
