WASHINGTON — A former senior U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official who testified before Congress on the government's efforts to stop the opioid epidemic is now paid to advise one of the largest opioid manufacturers in the country, Purdue Pharma, according to people familiar with the matter.
Demetra Ashley, the former acting assistant administrator of the DEA who told a Senate committee in 2017 about the need for a "robust regulatory program" to stop diversion of opioids and other controlled prescription drugs, left the DEA last spring and started a consulting firm called Dashley Consulting, LLC, according to her LinkedIn page.
Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid painkiller OxyContin, is one of the opioid companies being sued by more than 1600 cities and counties for "grossly" misrepresenting "the risks of long-term use of those drugs for persons with chronic pain," according to court documents. The lawsuits have been consolidated into one case in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio. Purdue vigorously denies allegations that they deceptively marketed OxyContin.
Ashley confirmed she has been subpoenaed to be deposed in the consolidated opioid lawsuit to discuss her role at the DEA as part of the law enforcement agency's effort to stem the opioid crisis.
"Ms. Ashley is following in the footsteps of many former federal regulators who take blood money from Purdue after leaving their job. This should not be allowed," said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, the co-director of opioid policy research at Brandeis University. "Former DEA and FDA officials should not be allowed to take money from companies they regulated," he said.
There is no indication that Ashley's consulting arrangement with Purdue is illegal.
The avalanche of legal cases against opioid manufacturers and distributors has been likened to the lawsuits that were faced by the tobacco industry, which ultimately settled in 1998 for $206 billion.
The first opioid trial from the consolidated cases is scheduled for Oct. 21, according to the website for the multi-district litigation.
But that's not the only upcoming trial for Purdue Pharma.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter will have the first crack at a trial on May 28 in Cleveland County, Oklahoma. Hunter is suing opioid manufacturers including Purdue Pharma, Allergan, Cephalon and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
But just a few days ago Purdue Pharma asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that "a televised trial in this matter will be fundamentally unfair. It will deny Purdue due process." The company's renewed effort to get rid of cameras in the courtroom was first reported by Law360.