Sacklers, Purdue To Pay $7.4 Bn Over Opioid Crisis

Sacklers, Purdue to pay $7.4 bn over opioid crisis

New York, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2025) Several US states have reached a $7.4 billion settlement with the Sackler family and their pharmaceutical company Purdue over the opioid crisis that has ravaged the lives of millions of Americans, officials said Thursday.

The opioid crisis, which has caused more than 500,000 deaths over 20 years in the United States, has triggered a flurry of lawsuits against drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies from victims and the authorities.

Thursday's settlement, which will see funds routed to communities and individuals affected by opioids, is the largest of several targeting the makers and sellers of the highly addictive drugs.

The $7.4 billion settlement was agreed "in principle with members of the Sackler family and their company Purdue Pharma for their instrumental role in creating the opioid crisis," New York Attorney General Letitia James's office said in a statement.

"The settlement ends the Sacklers's control of Purdue and ability to sell opioids in the United States and will deliver funding directly to communities across the country over the next 15 years to support opioid addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery programs.

"The $7.4 billion settlement in principle (is) the nation's largest."

Purdue and other opioid makers and distributors were accused of encouraging free-wheeling prescription of their products through aggressive marketing tactics while hiding how addictive the drugs are.