Purdue Pharma accused of 'corrupting' WHO to boost global opioid sales

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Purdue Pharma accused of 'corrupting' WHO to boost global opioid sales

‘Unscrupulous’ manufacturer replicated false marketing claims to change WHO guidelines, report by members of Congress alleges

Chris McGreal
Wed 22 May 2019 18.09 BST First published on Wed 22 May 2019 14.00 BST

Purdue Pharma, the drug manufacturer that kickstarted the US opioid epidemic, corruptly influenced the World Health Organization in order to boost painkiller sales across the globe, according to a report by members of Congress.

An investigation by Katherine Clark and Hal Rogers, who represent districts in Massachusetts and Kentucky hard hit by the US opioid epidemic, accuses Purdue of replicating its false marketing claims about the safety and effectiveness of opioids to change WHO prescribing guidelines in an attempt to expand foreign markets for its drugs.

“The web of influence we uncovered paints a picture of a public health organization that has been corrupted by the opioid industry,” said Clark. “The WHO appears to be lending the opioid industry its voice and credibility, and as a result, a trusted public health organization is trafficking dangerous misinformation that could lead to a global opioid epidemic.”

The report, called Corrupting Influence. Purdue and the WHO, accuses Purdue of using pharma-funded organisations and specialists to influence the writing of WHO policy to encourage much wider prescribing of addictive high-strength opioids across the globe. It said that, as a result, “WHO guidelines are serving as marketing materials for Purdue”.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/22/purdue-pharma-opioid-world-health-organization-painkiller-global-sales

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Related: Corrupting Influence: Purdue & the WHO (Offices of Representatives Katherine Clark and Hal Rogers]

[Kurt V.]

1. purdue has become so toxic it may have cost a grad student i know a summer internship at sandia

National laboratories. his primary sponsor was a perdue salesperson. 2 months ago he had been accepted. 2 weeks ago they told him they're all full for summer interns.

[donkeypoofed]

2. WHY is this a surprise ?!

The Corporation wants money - consumers have money and now they have the consumers' money. Screw the people who are their victims; they wanted money and they got it. This is not surprising and is barely even news. Lawsuits- that's what I'm interested in. Purdue Pharmaceutical has been getting killed with Judgements lately- and I hope it kills them off. You know, the way they've been killing their users off.

[dalton99a]

3. They are murderers who belong in prison