The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation into McKinsey consulting firm for its past advising of some of the largest opioid manufacturers in the nation. The investigation centers around suspicions that the firm helped increase sales for these manufacturers by providing consulting services.
Federal prosecutors are looking into whether McKinsey or its employees obstructed legal proceedings related to its consulting services to opioid manufacturers. A grand jury has been empaneled in Virginia as part of the federal investigation, which is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Virginia and the District of Massachusetts.
McKinsey has declined to comment on the investigation. However, it’s worth noting that in recent years, McKinsey reached a settlement with all 50 states in the US, along with Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories to pay $642 million without admitting wrongdoing for its role in the opioid crisis. The company also reached agreements totaling $347 million with public schools, insurance companies, and more.
In recent years, McKinsey stopped working with opioid-specific businesses and claimed that its work was aimed at supporting legal opioid use. The consulting firm advised Purdue and Endo on selling their products to the Department of Veterans Affairs, though McKinsey claimed this work was separate from opioid-related issues.
The pharmaceutical companies that McKinsey advised faced mass lawsuits for allegedly fueling addiction through deceptive marketing practices.
Overall, McKinsey’s role in advising pharmaceutical companies on increasing opioid sales has come under scrutiny as part of the larger investigation into the opioid crisis in the United States.
The consequences of McKinsey’s actions have had far-reaching impacts on public health and the legal landscape surrounding opioids in the country.
As we move forward, it will be important to hold those responsible accountable for their roles in exacerbating this crisis and ensuring that justice is served for those who have suffered due to their actions.
It remains to be seen what evidence will come out during this criminal investigation into McKinsey consulting firm’s past advising of some of the largest opioid manufacturers in