Purdue Pharma has reached a tentative settlement agreement with several state attorneys general on its role in the US opioid crisis. They say the company’s aggressive marketing of OxyContin downplayed addiction risks and led to more widespread opioid prescribing, even though only a sliver of the opioid painkillers sold in the U.S. were its products. The company agreed to pay $270 million and provide free prescription painkillers for certain low-income patients who were prescribed OxyContin by their doctors. Purdue must file for structured bankruptcy and, over time, pay $12bn, including around $3bn directly from the Sackler family. In addition, the Sacklers must surrender ownership of Purdue and sell Mundipharma for $1.5bn. While some lawyers said the deal was the "quickest and surest" way of securing compensation, others pledged to continue the legal battle.
Purdue Pharma has reached a tentative settlement agreement with several state attorneys general on its role in the US opioid crisis. The company agreed to pay $270 million and provide free prescription painkillers for certain low-income patients who were prescribed OxyContin by their doctors. Purdue must file for structured bankruptcy and, over time, pay $12bn, including around $3bn directly from the Sackler family. In addition, the Sacklers must surrender ownership of Purdue and sell Mundipharma for $1.5bn. While some lawyers said the deal was the "quickest and surest" way of securing compensation, others pledged to continue the legal battle.