Report by Sustainable Market Strategies

America’s opioid crisis is a major societal issue largely ignored by the financial community, with devastating effects on the US economy and labour force participation. Although a large share of the blame must go to pharma companies that designed, manufactured and promoted the products, other parts of the healthcare sector also share responsibility. Current equity investors should note what role publicly-listed healthcare companies played and how they responded to accusations (see chart). Looking ahead, the implementation of the NOPAIN Act could mark a significant inflection point for investors seeking to address the opioid crisis through strategic capital allocation. Companies such as Pacira BioSciences, Indivior and Vertex Pharmaceuticals are leading efforts to provide alternatives to opioid dependence. By boosting non-opioid alternatives, the Act opens new investment avenues for impact-minded investors.