Pharmaceutical companies like Purdue have received a lot of criticism over the years for the way that they go about marketing their products.

They've faced repeated accusations that they have knowingly and purposefully misled doctors about their products like Oxycontin, being too eager to allegedly overstate their benefits while downplaying any possible worries.

And Purdue, which is one of the biggest pharma companies in the world, has recently announced that it they are going to cut their US sales staff and stop marketing its Oxycontin to doctors in the U.S.

The decision to cut back on the aggressive marketing tactics and selling pressure, comes after a myriad of lawsuits have been launched at companies like Purdue and others, over issues with their marketing of their pharmaceutical products.

To date, OxyContin is known as one of the top selling opioid painkillers in the world and it's contributed to the addiction habits and the deaths of many.

Previously released Purdue memos indicate that the sales agents were focused on pushing for sales of OxyContin at least 70 percent of the time that they were out there selling to doctors.

And thus far, the company has managed to earn about $35 billion from their Oxy sales alone.

Purdue says that it has already started to cut back on its sales staff and they won't be keeping up with their traditional tactic of having sales reps go to doctor offices around the US in order to try and get them to opt for choosing opioid drugs for their patients.

Purdue has previously acknowledged that they did exaggerate the safety claims for the OxyContin and former executives have even plead guilty in the matter, for having misled the public about the benefits and risks that were related to this painkiller.

Despite perhaps alleviating some of the selling pressure on that painkiller, the company is still expected to continue making and selling the drug.

Purdue pharma is also still facing legal action relating to its alleged contribution to what's described as an opioid crisis in the US.

Pics:
Toby Talbot/AP via boston globe
pixabay

Sources:
http://fortune.com/2018/02/11/oxycontin-purdue-pharma-doctors-marketing/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/purdue-oxycontin-statement-1.4530426
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2017/05/08/restore-crucial-funds-drug-control-agency/MSiUEJ6W1zdvKyHw4A3owN/story.html
https://www.marketplace.org/2018/02/10/health-care/uncertain-hour/oxycontin-maker-purdue-pharma-stop-marketing-opioids-doctors

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