Purdue Pharma Settles for $7.4 Billion in Historic Opioid Crisis Accord

Settlement Details Unveiled

Victims of the opioid crisis and a bipartisan coalition of 15 states, led by Connecticut, have reached a landmark $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family.

The deal is a significant increase from the previous $6 billion settlement rejected by the Supreme Court due to unprecedented immunity provisions for the Sacklers.

Sacklers' Role in the Opioid Epidemic

Today, we are forcing Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family to pay for their role in igniting the devastating opioid crisis," proclaimed Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.

Purdue Pharma pled guilty to criminal charges in 2020 for conspiracy and violating anti-kickback statutes. The company knowingly marketed addictive opioids "without a legitimate medical purpose," according to the Department of Justice.

Purdue paid doctors to encourage opioid prescriptions and partnered with Practice Fusion, an electronic health records company, to promote their products.

Settlement Terms and Impact

The new settlement allocates $7.4 billion to various recipients, including victims, government entities, and parties that previously sued Purdue.

The settlement bars the Sackler family from selling opioids in the US indefinitely and requires them to relinquish control of Purdue to independent trustees. The company is also prohibited from lobbying or marketing opioids ever again.

Furthermore, over 30 million documents related to Purdue's and the Sacklers' opioid business will be released to the public.

Conclusion

This historic settlement represents a major step forward in holding the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic. It provides compensation to victims and survivors, supports ongoing efforts to address the crisis, and sends a clear message that corporate greed and misconduct will not be tolerated.