Health Care

Purdue Pharma launches $23.8 million ad campaign on filing opioid claims against company

Purdue Pharma launched an ad campaign Monday notifying people how to file claims against the OxyContin maker as part of the company’s bankruptcy settlement.

The Associated Press reported that the ad campaign and new website are part of a proposed settlement that could be worth $10 billion. The website allows people who believe they were harmed by improper opioid prescriptions to quickly file claims against Purdue.

Ads directing people to the website are expected to run on TV, radio and online and are targeted to reach 95 percent of U.S. adults, according to the AP.

Despite Purdue’s concessions in the proposed settlement, about half of the states involved in the lawsuit against the drug manufacturer reportedly said the proposal is too lenient.

Lawsuits targeting Purdue as part of states’ response to the opioid crisis have accused the company of aggressively marketing painkillers and hiding evidence of their addictive nature, while pressuring doctors to fill as many prescriptions as possible.

The company has since filed for bankruptcy. A notice on the website indicates that users will have until June 30, 2020 to submit their claims.