The consulting firm’s work has been cited in cases against pharmaceutical companies in Oklahoma, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The Oklahoma case cites its work for Johnson & Johnson on how to better influence prescription behavior. In Massachusetts, the company is named for helping Purdue Pharma “turbocharge” OxyContin sales, according to the report.
McKinsey is not a defendant in the lawsuits.
In a statement to The New York Times, McKinsey said: “Our historical work for clients in this industry was designed to support the legal prescription and use of our clients’ products. Opioids have had a devastating impact on our communities, however, and we are no longer advising clients on any opioid-specific business on a global basis.”
Johnson & Johnson said it still uses McKinsey for projects not related to opioids.
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