OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma has reached a nationwide settlement Thursday over its role in the opioid crisis.
The deal would require members of the Sackler family, who own the drugmaker, to pay as much as $6 billion in cash victims including individual claimants and states. That’s at least $1 billion more than previously agreed on.
Purdue Pharma will also have to release documents that could provide more insight into the opioid epidemic.
"As part of this agreement, 30 million documents will be released, many of which were claimed to be privileged," said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.
Tong added that the agreement does not release the Sacklers from potential criminal liability.
In exchange, the Slacker family with be protected from lawsuits.
A judge must still approve the deal.
Last Friday, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson announced that Nebraska will receive more than $100 million in an agreement from other top opioid makers. Johnson & Johnson, Cardinal and McKesson will pay $26 billion in the second-largest multistate agreement in U.S. history, with funds used to fight the opioid crisis.
It is not known at this time whether the Purdue Pharma deal's approval will benefit Nebraskans in the monetary sense.
Several parents of children addicted to opioids say they are glad more money will be available for treatment but upset the Sacklers will remain wealthy and free.
Purdue, which will be renamed Knoa Pharma, says it is pleased with the settlement.
