Oxycontin Maker To Pay $600 Million In Guilty Plea Over "Misbranding"

The New York Times BARRY MEIER May 10, 2007 12:21 PM
The company that makes the narcotic painkiller OxyContin and three current and former executives pleaded guilty today in federal court here to criminal charges that they misled regulators, doctors and patients about the drug's risk of addiction and its potential to be abused.
To resolve criminal and civil charges related to the drug's "misbranding", the parent of Purdue Pharma, the company that markets OxyContin, agreed to pay some $600 million in fines and other payments, one of the largest amounts ever paid by a drug company in such a case.
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Giuliani Firm Advised Oxycontin Makers For Five Years

ABC News Brian Ross, Richard Esposito & R. Schwartz May 10, 2007 03:05 PM
Rudolph Giuliani and his consulting company, Giuliani Partners, have served as key advisors for the last five years to the pharmaceutical company that pled guilty today to charges it misled doctors and patients about the addiction risks of the powerful narcotic painkiller OxyContin.
Federal officials say the company, Purdue Frederick, helped to trigger a nationwide epidemic of addiction to the time-release painkiller by failing to give early warnings that it could be abused.
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