Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty Nov. 24 to three criminal charges related to the marketing and sale of OxyContin, according to The Wall Street Journal. The guilty plea formally admits the company's role in the nation's opioid epidemic.
In a virtual hearing in Newark, N.J., Purdue Pharma admitted it didn't maintain an effective program to prevent illegal drug distribution and that it provided misleading information to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The drugmaker also admitted to paying kickbacks to physicians to induce them to write more opioid prescriptions. The kickbacks were made in the form of a speakers program, according to the report.
The guilty plea comes one week after bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain approved Purdue Pharma's $8.3 billion civil settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.
The Stamford, Conn.-based drugmaker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year, citing mounting legal liability.