Mallinckrodt subpoenaed, again, over sales of oxymorphone in growing opioid crisis

As opioid scrutiny intensifies around the country, Mallinckrodt has received another subpoena seeking information about its sales of the powerful painkillers. U.S. prosecutors in Florida have asked for documents about the company's oxymorphone generics, the company said in an annual filing on Tuesday. 

Mallinckrodt didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the subpoena but said in its 10-K that it's in the process of responding. 

The subpoena from officials in Florida follows one the Department of Justice sent to the drugmaker last July "related to the marketing and sale of the company’s opioid products," Mallinckrodt said in a quarterly filing. The company is also dealing with civil investigative demands from officials in Missouri, Washington and Kentucky and subpoenas from New Hampshire, Kentucky and Alaska.  

It also comes after the drugmaker last year agreed to settle with the feds for $35 million in a case alleging it failed to report suspicious orders of the powerful painkillers to Florida and elsewhere. 

A deadly opioid crisis in recent years has cost the United States billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives, officials have said. Scrutiny of the industry has been building with hundreds of lawsuits and multiple investigations in Congress and elsewhere. 

The company's disclosure comes as the Department of Justice said on Tuesday it would support lawsuits by cities and counties against opioid makers and distributors. In doing so, the federal government could be able to access a portion of a potential settlement. 

In addition to subpoenas disclosed by Mallinckrodt, state attorneys general from around the country have launched a probe into the industry's opioid promos and have contacted the company. It said it's cooperating with the probe. 

Endo has also disclosed a subpoena from the same office in Florida about an investigation that's being done in conjunction with the FDA. The company said the officials are seeking info about Opana ER and other oxymorphone painkillers. Endo said it's cooperating with the probe. 

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