Fake doctors, pilfered medical records drive Oxy China sales

SHANGHAI — Thousands of lawsuits across the United States have accused a drug company owned by the billionaire Sackler family of using false claims to push highly addictive opioids on an unsuspecting nation, fueling the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history. In China, Mundipharma managers have required sales representatives to copy patients’ private medical records without consent, in apparent violation of Chinese law, current and former employees told AP. “The Program is independently initiated and managed with the goal of improving the medical community’s understanding of cancer pain management treatments,” the company said. Mundipharma said its training covers “appropriate dosage levels for cancer patients” and provides information “in accordance with current best practice.” As Chen looked back over his training documents, he found presentations touting opioid painkillers as a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain, citing outdated studies with authors linked to Mundipharma and other companies. In a statement to AP, Mundipharma said that OxyContin “is used in practice only for the treatment of cancer pain in China.” But under Chinese regulations, OxyContin can be used to treat moderate to severe pain, whether it’s caused by cancer or not.