New York Attorney General Letitia James has stopped a pharmaceutical company from illegally marketing an unauthorized opioid overdose drug to public agencies across the state.
The company, Indivior, was promoting its prescription-only drug Opvee as a substitute for Narcan — the state-approved, over-the-counter medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. But Opvee isn’t authorized for use without a prescription in New York, and public health experts warn that it comes with more severe side effects.
“Indivior cannot rewrite its history and exploit this drug crisis for profit,” said Attorney General James, who announced the settlement on September 30. “They misled public officials and put communities at risk.”
As part of the settlement, Indivior must:
- Refund $22,500 in taxpayer money paid for the drug
- Recall all improperly sold doses
- Stop all promotion of Opvee in New York
- Reform its marketing and sales practices
The company told stakeholders it would end promotion of the drug just two days after signing the agreement.
Misleading claims led to illegal sales
The Attorney General’s Office (OAG) found that Indivior falsely claimed Opvee could be used the same way as Narcan and even advised a sheriff’s office to write its own standing order — despite knowing the drug wasn’t approved for that use.
That office then bought $22,500 worth of Opvee, violating state law. OAG has since also reached a separate $35,000 settlement with the healthcare provider that issued the standing order.
Unlike Narcan, which typically wears off in 90 minutes, Opvee’s effects can last up to 12 hours, triggering severe withdrawal symptoms in people who are overdosing. Experts say the drug does not improve outcomes and may actually increase the risk of harm.
“Naloxone works and saves lives,” said Laura Guzman of the National Harm Reduction Coalition. “Stronger medications like Opvee are unnecessary and dangerous.”
Broad support for AG’s action
Public health officials, addiction treatment leaders, and community advocates across New York praised the Attorney General’s intervention.
- “Misleading marketing… endangers lives,” said Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins.
- “Cold and callous,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz of Indivior’s tactics.
- “We cannot and will not accept medications that increase suffering,” said Alexis Pleus of Truth Pharm.
To date, Attorney General James has secured over $3 billion from opioid manufacturers and distributors to support treatment and prevention efforts across New York.
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