2 Virginia Prosecutors Awarded $1.38 Million Each in Oxycontin Settlement
By Andrew Weatherford
Published on December 05, 2007
The money was awarded to the offices of two prosecutors in southwest Virginia whose assistance with other cases enabled federal authorities to investigate and prosecute Purdue Pharma, L.P. In May, the company pleaded guilty to illegally marketing Oxycontin, a medication used to relieve pain.
The company was forced to pay $634.5 million in fines for misleading physicians about the drug's safety, including the risks for addiction, overdose, and death.
The money awarded to the commonwealth offices can be used to fund drug prevention programs, narcotics task forces, and other initiatives to help prevent drug addition and abuse.
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