An acknowledgment of responsibility?
A subsidiary of French advertising giant Publicis will pay $350 million to the United States for its role in the country's opioid crisis, which has left hundreds of thousands dead since 1999, the prosecutor announced on Thursday. New York State.
It is the first advertising agency to reach an agreement with the courts for its role in the opioid crisis, Letitia James' office said in a press release.
All states as well as several US territories will receive a share of this sum established as part of an agreement with Publicis Health, with California to receive the largest amount ($34 million), according to the decision.
No recognition of responsibility, says Publicis
“For a decade, Publicis helped opioid manufacturers like Purdue Pharma convince doctors to overprescribe opioids, directly fueling the opioid crisis and causing the disappearance of populations across the country,” noted Letitia James, quoted in the press release.
Publicis Health subsequently indicated, in a press release, that the activities concerned had been carried out by the Rosetta agency, purchased in 2011 and closed ten years ago.
“This settlement agreement allows us to close three years of discussion, and concludes with a net payment of 148 million euros,” she added, affirming that it did not represent an acknowledgment of fault or responsibility .
“We will defend ourselves, if necessary, against any dispute that this agreement fails to resolve,” assured Publicis Health.
Also read Opiate crisis: three questions about this addiction which is wreaking havoc
The agency also asserted that the work performed by Rosetta "on behalf of pharmaceutical companies and covered by this settlement has always been fully compliant with the law."
According to data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), more than 700,000 people died between 1999 and 2022 from an overdose linked to taking opiates, obtained on prescription or illegally.