Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has announced a groundbreaking $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health, a global marketing and communications firm, to resolve investigations into its alleged role in the prescription opioid crisis. Connecticut, part of a ten-state executive committee leading the investigation, will receive nearly $4.44 million from the settlement to address the opioid crisis, along with $332,000 covering the costs of the extensive multistate inquiry. Publicis agreed to the settlement terms, acknowledging the harm caused by its conduct. The firm will publicly disclose thousands of internal documents related to its work for opioid companies like Purdue Pharma and cease accepting client work connected to opioid-based Schedule II or other Schedule III narcotics.

The settlement follows revelations in court documents describing Publicis’ contribution to the opioid crisis by assisting Purdue Pharma and other manufacturers in marketing and selling opioids. Publicis served as Purdue’s agency of record for all branded opioid drugs, developing sales tactics that relied on farming data from personal health-related conversations between patients and providers. The company played a pivotal role in Purdue’s decision to market OxyContin to providers through electronic health records. Connecticut, having lost 1,464 people to opioid overdoses in 2022 alone, sees the settlement as a crucial step in combatting the opioid crisis, with funds dedicated to treatment, prevention, and recovery. Attorney General Tong has been actively pursuing actions to hold those responsible for the crisis accountable, securing over $50 billion nationwide in the past five years, with Connecticut receiving $600 million for opioid epidemic initiatives. The Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, composed of health professionals, individuals with lived experience, and state and municipal leaders, oversees the allocation and management of settlement funds. The multistate investigation was led by Colorado, with an executive committee including attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont, joined by attorneys general from all states, territories, and the District of Columbia.