Stop Oxy

Canada-Wide Settlement: Seeking Justice for Opioid Victims

Post author:Melissa
Post published:May 9, 2024
Post category:opiate addiction OxyContin addiction oxycontin epidemic prescription drugs
Reading time:4 mins read

Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin and OxyNEO, has agreed to a monumental $20 million class action settlement in a pivotal legal development. This groundbreaking agreement, which has received judicial approval in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan, represents a significant stride toward accountability in pharmaceutical litigation.

The Opioid Emergency in Canada

Canada is grappling with a profound opioid crisis, and OxyContin has significantly exacerbated this public health emergency. According to data from the Government of Canada, opioid-related overdoses claimed the lives of over 17,000 individuals between January 2016 and September 2021 alone. There is an urgent need for intervention and continued accountability within the pharmaceutical industry.

OxyContin, a potent opioid pain reliever, gained widespread popularity in Canada following its introduction in the 1990s. Marketed as a revolutionary solution for chronic pain management, the drug’s high potency and addictive properties …

Purdue Pharma Plans Guilty Plea For Opioid Charges

Post author:Melissa
Post published:April 24, 2024
Post category:pharmaceutical industry prescription drugs purdue pharma
Reading time:4 mins read

OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma is on the cusp of reaching a guilty plea agreement regarding criminal charges linked to its purported involvement in exacerbating the opioid epidemic in the United States, according to exclusive information obtained by Reuters.

This potential plea deal forms part of a larger settlement to resolve U.S. Department of Justice investigations.

Insiders suggest that the agreement, which may involve significant financial penalties amounting to billions of dollars, could be made public within the forthcoming fortnight. However, the ongoing negotiations mean that the terms of the plea deal remain subject to change.

Purdue’s Role in Fueling the Crisis

Federal prosecutors and state attorneys have accused Purdue Pharma of employing aggressive marketing tactics to promote OxyContin, a highly addictive painkiller.

It’s alleged that the company downplayed the drug’s potential for abuse and overdosing, contributing to its widespread use …

Seattle First Responders Prescribe Buprenorphine to OD Patients

Post author:Melissa
Post published:March 18, 2024
Post category:addiction treatment
Reading time:5 mins read

In Seattle, the devastating toll of drug overdoses claims hundreds of lives annually. Recent years have witnessed a troubling surge in overdose incidents, compelling city officials to take decisive action. Because of this, EMTs in the city will now be able to play a part and give Medication-Assisted Treatment via Buprenorphine as part of their treatment for people who overdose on opioids.

The upward trend of addiction calls has been staggering, with daily overdose calls escalating from 4.7 in 2021 to a staggering 15.4 in 2023, underscoring the urgency of intervention. Now, the city is putting an effort into helping people find treatment and begin recovery from substance use disorders.

Introducing a Novel Approach: Seattle Fire Department’s Health 99 Unit

In a proactive move to combat the crisis, the Seattle Fire Department has launched the Health 99 Unit. Comprising …

Purdue’s Ad Agency Settles Oxycontin Lawsuit

Post author:Melissa
Post published:February 15, 2024
Post category:oxycontin epidemic
Reading time:5 mins read

For the very first time, a company that worked on Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin ads has settled a lawsuit claiming they falsely said opioids were safe, according to CNN.

Publicis, a French marketing firm, agreed to pay $350 million within two months and won’t work with any more opioid companies, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James. She and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser led the talks, joined by eight other states.

“For ten years, Publicis helped opioid makers like Purdue Pharma convince doctors to give out too many opioids, which made the opioid crisis worse and hurt communities everywhere,” said James. “Money can’t make up for the lives lost and the addiction caused, but with this deal, Publicis will stop their illegal actions.”

Why is a Marketing Firm Being Held Liable for Oxycontin?

A marketing firm can be …

Boston Lawsuit Eyes PBMs as Culpable in Opioid Epidemic

Post author:Melissa
Post published:January 18, 2024
Post category:OxyContin addiction
Reading time:2 mins read

The city of Boston is intensifying its legal efforts against the opioid epidemic by filing a lawsuit targeting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The city’s complaint alleges that these PBMs collaborated with drug makers to promote the use of prescription opioids like Oxycontin, contributing to the emergence of an illegal market for these potent drugs.

Large companies like Express Scripts Pharmacy, ESI Mail Pharmacy Services, and Optum Rx are named defendants in the lawsuit, with the city claiming that these PBMs acted as “gatekeepers to the opioid market.

Zeroing In on PBM Optum Rx

Optum Rx, in response to the accusations, denied any wrongdoing and asserted its commitment to addressing the opioid issue. The lawsuit involves the city of Boston, its Public Health Commission, and the Boston Housing Authority as plaintiffs. While most lawsuits related to the opioid epidemic have …

Purdue Pharma Deal Goes To Supreme Court

Post author:Melissa
Post published:December 21, 2023
Post category:OxyContin Should not be Legal prescription drugs
Reading time:4 mins read

The opioid crisis is now at the forefront of the Supreme Court’s attention, and justices heard arguments earlier this month regarding a challenge to the bankruptcy deal intended to compensate victims of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin.

In this case, Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, agreed to pay billions of dollars to those harmed by the opioid epidemic under a deal approved by a lower court.

The deal shields members of the Sackler family, who owned and ran the company, from personal liability. The Sacklers were known for their aggressive promotion and deceptive marketing of OxyContin.

Oxycontin’s Devastating Effects

OxyContin, a powerful prescription painkiller, played a significant role in fueling the addiction crisis that is still raging in the United States.

Introduced in 1996 by Purdue Pharma, OxyContin contained oxycodone, an opioid that provided relief for patients experiencing …

Opioid Lawsuits Are Bankrupting Rite-Aid

Post author:Melissa
Post published:November 25, 2023
Post category:OxyContin addiction oxycontin epidemic prescription drugs
Reading time:4 mins read

While there have been many stories about rampant crime in major cities, the fact is that these same cities also have a lot of opioid addiction. In recent years, states, counties, and cities have been suing distributors of opioids like Oxycontin. While many companies, such as the drug maker Purdue Pharma, have settled, some distributors and pharmacies have had issues. Rite-Aid is one of these pharmacies that chose not to participate in a bulk settlement. Because of this, they face more than a thousand lawsuits for their sales of Oxycontin and other addictive pain pills.

Rite-Aid in Danger of Closing

Rite-Aid is one of the largest chains of pharmacies in the United States, but they now face billions of dollars in death and risk closure due to outstanding opioid lawsuits. Not settling, as other pharmacies have done, including Walgreens, …

Scientists Find Possible New Way to Reverse Fentanyl Overdoses

Post author:Melissa
Post published:September 30, 2023
Post category:fentanyl
Reading time:4 mins read

Fentanyl overdoses are at an all-time high, and often, there is trouble reviving a person who has overdosed on higher doses of the drug. After all, fentanyl is one of the most potent drugs known to man.

Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid, estimated to be 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and about 50 times more potent than heroin. This potency means that a small amount of fentanyl can produce intense and immediate euphoria, making it highly attractive to those seeking a powerful high.

For some people, that high means an overdose. And if a user takes higher doses of the drug, multiple cans of Narcan, the overdose-reversal drug, may not even be enough.

Fentanyl kills over 100,000 Americans yearly, and people often don’t even realize they have taken the drug.

Fentanyl is Highly Addictive

Fentanyl acts …

Narcan Goes OTC Nationwide Next Week

Post author:Melissa
Post published:August 31, 2023
Post category:opiate addiction overdoses
Reading time:4 mins read

Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone, is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose rapidly. This is a crucial tool in addressing the opioid crisis and has proven to be a lifesaving intervention in many cases. After much advocacy, the federal government is allowing naloxone to be sold over-the-counter, without a prescription, starting next week.

The Importance of Narcan

Narcan has been a vital tool in saving lives since the 1970s. Now, it can be carried and used by anyone who comes across an overdose situation, making it more likely they get care and medical help.

Rapid Overdose Rescue: Narcan binds to the same receptors in the brain that opioids attach to. By doing this, it effectively displaces opioids and reverses their effects. This can quickly restore normal breathing and consciousness in someone experiencing

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Fentanyl Overdose May Be Stopped with Monoclonal Antibody Treatment

Post author:Melissa
Post published:August 1, 2023
Post category:opiate addiction
Reading time:4 mins read

A fentanyl overdose may be reversed with the help of Narcan, but sometimes the drug is too powerful to respond. Now a company has gotten a green light for a project that explores the use of monoclonal antibodies in helping reverse a fentanyl overdose.

As a street drug, fentanyl can have different potency levels each time a user tries it. And often, the user doesn’t know where it is in the drug. Instead, they expected to get high on cocaine, meth, heroin, or Oxy. It can be 50-100 times as potent as morphine, so a person who doesn’t use opioids is highly susceptible to an overdose.

What Is a Monoclonal Antibody Treatment?

One of the most well-known applications of monoclonal antibody therapy is in treating certain cancers, such as breast cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, monoclonal antibodies …