Much has already been disclosed about how global consulting firm McKinsey helped Purdue Pharma turbocharge sales of its prescription opioid OxyContin, making the company a leading supplier and marketer of the highly addictive drug. Now, new documents that were part of a repository from the nationwide opioid lawsuits have revealed the full extent of McKinsey’s involvement with opioid makers. According to a New York Timesanalysis of more than 100,000 documents, MckInsey not only advised Purdue but also other opioid makers including Endo, Mallinckrodt, and Johnson & Johnson. As more and more Americans were dying of an opioid misuse-related overdose, McKinsey was trading on its reputation and connections to help the companies flood the market with ever-more opioids, fueling an epidemic that has claimed the lives of more than half a million Americans. The documents show that McKinsey vetted deals, advised on corporate strategy and aggressive sales tactics, and helped secure approval for new, and more powerful products. It also devised ways to persuade doctors to prescribe more opioids, even if they were reluctant to do so due to concerns about addiction. As the lawsuits progressed and more documents appeared, McKinsey eventually acknowledged its role in the crisis, apologized for the “terrible consequences” of its actions, and agreed to a $600 million settlement—but did not admit any wrongdoing.
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