Purdue Pharma Pays State of Oklahoma $270M Settlement

The maker of OxyContin will pay a $270,000,000 settlement to the state of Oklahoma.

Two years ago, Oklahoma’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma for its role in the opioid crisis. The suit argued that Purdue made deceptive claims that downplayed the risk of addiction to opioids.

A portion of Purdue’s settlement will fund an addiction research center at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. Oklahoma saw approximately 400 deaths from opioids in 2017. And since 2009, more Oklahomans have died from opioids than in vehicle crashes.  Oklahoma has the third highest number of prescribers of long-acting and extended-release opioids.

Purdue Pharma still faces more than 1,600 other lawsuits, which have been considered together. This consolidated lawsuit includes cases against nearly two dozen other defendants, including Teva Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson. Oklahoma estimated the opioid crisis would cost the state nearly $9 billion.

Some who have lost loved ones to opioid overdoses are reportedly disturbed by the settlement, and say that it’s a disservice that doesn’t entail justice for those who have died and suffered.

Purdue Pharma’s principle owner, the Sackler family, is estimated to be worth $13 billion. They have made sizable donations to leading museums, including the Guggenheim and the Louvre. But these institutions have said they will reject any future donations.    

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