ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Superior Court has denied the request of pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma LLC to dismiss five state claims, alleging deceptive practices in promoting opioid use.
According to a lawsuit filed in 2017 by the Alaska Attorney General Office, Purdue violated the state's consumer protection laws by promoting OxyContin for long-term chronic pain without evidence to support the claim.
“I view this as one of the most important lawsuits that has been brought since I became attorney general of this great state,” Alaska Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth said in a statement. “Our opioid crisis has increased crime and torn apart families. Gov. Bill Walker is addressing this issue on all fronts, and this lawsuit is part of that effort. Manufacturers such as Purdue must be held accountable for the role their deceptive practices have played in this crisis.”
The state also alleges Purdue practiced unfair methods of competition, public nuisance, fraud, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, strict products liability and unjust enrichment, according to the Attorney General's Office.
The state will amend its allegations that Purdue violated the Alaska Medical Assistance False Claim and Reporting Act, due to the court's finding that the new statue is not retroactive, the Attorney General's Office said.