Attorney General Steve Marshall last Friday announced Alabama’s participation in a nationwide settlement with eight drug makers that manufactured opioid pills and deepened the nationwide opioid crisis. All eight defendants have agreed to proceed with a sign-on period for local governments. Alabama will receive, with full participation by local governments, public hospitals and other government agencies, approximately $11.725 million from the eight drug makers.
“This settlement marks another pivotal achievement in Alabama’s aggressive and uniquely successful legal strategy to hold opioid manufacturers, distributors, and others accountable. Our states have faced unimaginable loss due to the widespread abuse and misuse of opioids, and we have responded with decisive legal action,” stated Marshall.
The eight defendants, along with the total payments made to the nationwide settlement, are as follows:
- Mylan (now part of Viatris): $284,447,916 paid over nine years
- Hikma: $95,818,293 paid over one to four years
- Amneal: $71,751,010 paid over ten years
- Apotex: $63,682,369 paid in a single year
- Indivior: $38,022,450 paid over four years
- Sun: $30,992,087 paid over one to four years
- Alvogen: $18,680,162 paid in a single year
- Zydus: $14,859,220 paid in a single year
In addition to these abatement payments, several of the settlements allow states to receive free pharmaceutical products or cash in lieu of this product. Additionally, seven of the companies (not including Indivior) are prohibited from promoting or marketing opioids and opioid products, making or selling any product that contains more than 40 mg of oxycodone per pill, and putting in place a monitoring and reporting system for suspicious orders. Indivior has agreed to not manufacture or sell opioid products for the next ten years, but it will be able to continue marketing and selling medications to treat opioid use disorder.
