Opioid marketing firm settlement, Wisconsin to receive $6M

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin will receive more than $6 million as part of a multi-state opioid marketing settlement, Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Thursday, Feb. 1.

The $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health sought to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firm’s role in the prescription opioid crisis. Wisconsin's portion of the settlement will be used to help address the opioid crisis, a news release said.

In agreeing to the terms of the settlement, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said Publicis recognized the harm its conduct caused. The agreement will give communities hit hardest by the opioid crisis more financial support for treatment and recovery. The company will also disclose on a public website thousands of internal documents detailing its work for opioid companies like Purdue Pharma and will stop accepting client work related to opioid-based Schedule II or other Schedule III controlled substances.

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States alleged that Publicis’ work contributed to the opioid crisis by helping Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers market and sell opioids. The Wisconsin DOJ said Publicis acted as Purdue’s agency of record for all its branded opioid drugs, including OxyContin.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, more than 10,000 individuals have died from an opioid overdose since the year 2000.

To date, according to the DOJ, Wisconsin has secured close to $750 million in legal settlements with drug manufacturers and others for their roles in the crisis.