New Hampshire Claims OxyContin Drugmaker Stonewalling

The top law enforcement official in New Hampshire accused the manufacturer of OxyContin on Friday of stonewalling demands for information the company collects about suspected criminal trafficking of its painkiller.

“They are just refusing to turn over documents,” state Attorney General Joseph Foster said of drugmaker Purdue Pharma in an interview. “On one hand, they tell us they have nothing to hide and they are doing everything appropriately, but then why are they fighting so hard not to turn over this information?”

After a Los Angeles Times investigation last month exposed the extensive evidence Purdue’s internal security team gathers, and in many cases, does not share with law enforcement, state lawyers sent a subpoena directing the company to turn over any records related to New Hampshire. The Times found that the company’s confidential files include field reports, witness statements, prescribing data and surveillance photos on doctors and pharmacists across the nation suspected of catering to addicts and drug dealers.

In refusing to comply with the New Hampshire subpoena, Purdue cited long-standing objections to the state’s use of a private law firm in an ongoing investigation of the company and other opioid makers.

Read more: http://www.vnews.com/nh-ag-accuses-pharma-company-stonewalling-4356918