Drug Maker Named in Lawsuits Over OxyContin

About 1,000 people filed separate lawsuits on Staten Island against the manufacturer of the painkiller OxyContin yesterday, claiming they were victims of accidental addiction.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages from the maker, Purdue Pharma, which is based in Stamford, Conn., claiming the company dishonestly marketed the pain pill by failing to tell doctors, pharmacists and patients about the drug's addictive qualities, according to an attorney in the case, Tor Hoerman.

A state judge on Staten Island recently declined to certify a class-action suit, saying the cases involved different issues and injury claims. Instead, a coordinating judge in New York State Supreme Court was assigned to preside over each case.