NY AG reaches $270M multistate opioid settlement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals

Amneal Pharmaceuticals opioid settlement overview:

• Who: New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $270 million opioid settlement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals.
• Why: The opioid manufacturer had been accused of failing to monitor and report suspicious orders of opioids in violation of federal law.
• Where: The Amneal Pharmaceuticals settlement affects state and local governments that signed on to the litigation.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $270 million multistate opioid settlement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals over the drug maker’s alleged role in the nationwide opioid crisis, Law360 reports.

Amneal manufactures generic opioid drugs and sold close to nine billion pills between 2006 and 2019, according to James’ May 3 press release. The drug maker had been accused of violating federal law by failing to monitor and report suspicious orders of opioids.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals settlement will provide funds and naloxone to participants

The Amneal Pharmaceuticals settlement will reportedly provide $92.5 million over the next decade and $180 worth of the overdose treatment medication naloxone to participating states and local governments.

The attorneys general of California, Delaware, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia also negotiated with Amneal Pharmaceuticals to reach the opioid settlement in principle.

“While this settlement can’t fully reverse the damage done as a result of the national crisis, it will provide essential funding and resources for New York and other states to ensure those suffering get the help they need,” James said. “I am proud to have secured over $2.7 billion to tackle the opioid epidemic in New York, and my office will continue to hold accountable the companies responsible for fueling this crisis.”

Amneal Pharmaceuticals did not admit wrongdoing when it agreed to the opioid settlement in principle. 

“We remain committed to helping those impacted by the opioid crisis by enhancing access to naloxone nasal spray, which is an emergency treatment for opioid overdose and helps save lives,” Amneal Pharmaceuticals said in a statement.

AG James says her coalitions with other state AGs secured billions in opioid settlements

Earlier this year, Hikma Pharmaceuticals agreed to a $150 million opioid settlement over similar allegations that it helped fuel the opioid crisis by failing to report suspicious orders of the drug.

Attorney General James says she filed the most extensive opioid lawsuit in 2019, taking aim at opioid makers and distributors for their alleged role in fueling the opioid crisis. She has teamed up with attorneys general in other states to secure billions of dollars in opioid settlements with pharmaceutical giants CVS, Walgreens and Walmart for allegedly failing to properly regulate prescriptions.

What do you think about the Amneal Pharmaceuticals opioid settlement? Join the discussion in the comments.

The state of New York is represented by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy and Assistant Attorney General Matthew Conrad.

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