The United States has an opioid epidemic and drug manufacturers like Mallincikrodt (MNK) are right in the middle of it. Last week Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley expanded its opioid marketing investigation to seven companies, including Mallinckrodt:
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley continues to widen his investigation of opioid manufacturers, today announcing the issuance of civil investigative demands to seven major opioid manufacturers. These investigative demands require the manufacturers to provide documents and information relevant to the Attorney General Office’s ongoing investigation of the pharmaceutical industry’s marketing practices for opioids.
The office issued investigative demands to Allergan, Depomed, Insys, Mallinckrodt, Mylan, Pfizer, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
“Our office is dedicated to stemming the tide of opioid abuse in Missouri,” Hawley said. “We hope that our continuing investigation will aid the fight to build a healthier Missouri and end this epidemic in our state.”
Pursuant to the current investigation AG Hawley is seeking documents related to the drug companies’ marketing practices and other industry organizations that helped them promote opioids.
America’s Opioid Crisis
Drug overdose the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2015 the number of drug overdoses were 52,404, up from 23,518 in 2002 – a 6% compound annual growth rate (“CAGR). Of the 2015 figures prescription drug overdoses and opioid prescription drug overdoses as a total of all drug overdoses were 57% and 45%, respectively. In 2002 total overdoses of prescription drugs and overdoses of opioids as a percentage of total drug overdoses were 49% and 32%, respectively. Overdoses of opioids grew faster than total overdoses. Some experts believe the increase in opioid prescriptions could be driving the increase.
Overdoses from prescription opioids have coincided with the proliferation of opioid prescriptions. According to The Economist between 1991 and 2011 opioid prescriptions supplied by retail pharmacies increased from 76 million to 219 million – a 5.4% CAGR.
