There has been another big settlement between states and an opioid maker. This time it is opioid maker Endo which is agreeing to a 450-million-dollar settlement with Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as 42 other states.
In the settlement, which is being called “an agreement in principle” by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Nerhona, the company agrees to turn over millions of pages of documents related to the company’s role in the opioid crisis.
“Endo falsely peddled its opioids as abuse-deterrent with deadly consequences. They downplayed risks, overpromoted benefits, and reaped profits while people suffered and died. Our settlement forces Endo to pay $450 million to states across the country to support treatment and prevention, bans the marketing of their opioids forever, and forces disclosure of millions of documents,” said Attorney General Tong. “One by one, we are taking on every player in the addiction industry and holding them accountable for the lives they destroyed”.
• Requires payment of $450 million in cash over 10 years to participating states and subdivisions.
• Requires Endo to turn over its opioid-related documents for publication online in a public document archive and pay $2.75 million for archival expenses.
• Bans the marketing of Endo’s opioids in perpetuity.
Besides Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont is part of the settlement.
(Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)