Senator Hassan Participates in Homeland Security Committee Roundtable Discussion on Opioid Sales and Marketing

Senator Highlights New Hampshire Department of Justice Investigation into Purdue Pharma and Resulting Lawsuit

Click here for video of Senator Hassan’s remarks.

 WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Maggie Hassan participated in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee roundtable discussion on opioid sales and marketing, where she highlighted the New Hampshire Department of Justice investigation into the marketing practices of Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin and other opioid products, and the civil lawsuit filed by the New Hampshire DOJ last month as a result of that investigation. The roundtable follows a new report from Ranking Member Claire McCaskill (D-MO) scrutinizing the sales and marketing practices of opioid maker Insys Therapeutics.

Senator Hassan delivered an opening statement thanking the witnesses for telling their personal stories of struggling with substance misuse and losing loved ones to the heroin, fentanyl, and opioid epidemic that is devastating communities across New Hampshire and America.

Senator Hassan highlighted that “the role that drug makers have played in contributing to this epidemic is abundantly clear. As Senator McCaskill’s report highlights, drug makers have long used improper marketing of prescription opioids to mask the problems with these drugs. Reports like this one are really helpful to shine a light on some of the behavior that we are talking about here today.”

Senator Hassan also highlighted that “another tool that we have at our disposal is litigation – including lawsuits brought by state’s Attorneys General. I was very proud to support the New Hampshire Department of Justice’s investigation into claims regarding Purdue’s fraudulent marketing of opioid products during my time as Governor. Last month, the New Hampshire Department of Justice filed suit against Purdue Pharma for deceptive marketing practices of opioid products in violation of the state Consumer Protection Act, the Medicaid Fraud Act, and other state laws.”

Senator Hassan added, “It is absolutely critical that we continue to use all the tools that we have to help address this crisis and begin to truly turn the tide of what is a terrible, terrible epidemic.”

In 2015, then-Governor Hassan strongly supported the launch of an investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office into the marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies that manufacture prescription opioids. As a result of that investigation, the Attorney General’s office filed a civil lawsuit last month against Purdue Pharma over violations of the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act, the Medicaid Fraud Act, and other state laws. Also under then-Governor Hassan’s leadership, the state investigated Insys Therapeutics for deceptive marketing of a fentanyl drug and brought enforcement action under the Consumer Protection Act.