The statement came in the group’s amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. The brief supports the appeals of former Purdue Pharma executives — general counsel Howard Udell, CEO Michael Friedman, and chief medical officer Paul Goldenheim.

The three were debarred after being convicted in 2007 of a criminal misdemeanor as “responsible corporate officers” of a company that misbranded the addictive prescription drug Oxycontin. Udell hasn’t returned calls for comment.