New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement with Indivior, Inc., a multinational pharmaceutical company, putting an end to the company’s misleading promotion of its opioid overdose drug, Opvee (nalmefene).
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Indivior marketed Opvee to public officials across New York despite knowing the drug is not authorized for use without a prescription by the New York State Department of Health. The company promoted Opvee as if it were interchangeable with Narcan (naloxone), the widely recognized treatment for opioid overdoses.
Health officials have warned that substituting Opvee for Narcan can be dangerous, citing Opvee’s more severe side effects compared with Narcan.
Under the settlement, Indivior is required to:
- Refund taxpayer dollars spent on Opvee
- Recall improperly sold doses
- Stop making false claims about the drug
- Implement broad reforms to its marketing and training practices
Two days after signing the agreement, Indivior announced it would discontinue promotion of Opvee entirely.
“Indivior cannot rewrite its history and exploit this drug crisis for profit,” said Attorney General James. “After playing a role in fueling the opioid epidemic, the company tried to position itself as part of the solution while misleading public officials and communities about which overdose treatments are safe, legal, and effective. Far too many families have lost loved ones to opioids, and my office will continue to fight to protect New Yorkers and combat this crisis.”
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