A number of multibillion-dollar settlements that opioid manufacturers and distributors agreed to pay may not wind up in the hands of addiction victims and state governments.
By Alexander Saeedy
Aug. 1, 2023 | 3:47 pm ET
A number of prescription opioid manufacturers, including OxyContin developer Purdue Pharma and generics maker Mallinckrodt, have agreed to pay billions to settle lawsuits accusing the companies of fueling a drug abuse crisis in the U.S. The money they agreed to pay was meant to help communities fight opioid addiction and cover rehabilitation costs for individuals.
Three of those settlements are at risk of falling apart or being substantially reworked, putting more than $8 billion of settlement money intended for addiction.