Drug manufacturer Purdue Pharma is reported to offer between $10B and $12B to settle over 2,000 opioid lawsuits against them. The firm, owned by the infamous Sackler family, faces thousands of lawsuits for their painkiller OxyContin.
BBC relates Purdue stated the company is “actively working” towards a “global resolution.”
“While Purdue Pharma is prepared to defend itself vigorously in the opioid litigation, the company has made clear that it sees little good coming from years of wasteful litigation and appeals,” Purdue said in a statement. “Purdue believes a constructive global resolution is the best path forward, and the company is actively working with the state attorneys general and other plaintiffs to achieve this outcome.”
The reported settlement, first told by NBC News, said the settlement would mean the Sacklers relinquishing ownership of Purdue Pharma.
Currently Purdue is one of 22 other opioid manufacturers, pharmacies, and distributors named in over 2,000 lawsuits scheduled to go to trial in October in Ohio. Each of the cases allege similar claims that Pharma used deceptive marketing practices to sell opioids, downplaying their addictive nature in order to make a profit. Many of the lawsuits claim Pharma is responsible for fueling the opioid addiction epidemic in the United States.
Purdue argues that the FDA approved OxyContin labels that warned about the risks of taking OxyContin. Though, in early 2019 Purdue Pharma settled with the state of Oklahoma for $270m for its contribution in Oklahoma’s opioid crisis.