In a sweeping endeavor to alleviate the damage caused by the opioid epidemic, Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced substantial settlements, to the tune of approximately $720 million, from eight opioid manufacturers whose products have fueled the nationwide addiction crisis. Michigan stands to gain up to $24.5 million from these settlements. "We are seeing firsthand how these opioid settlements are making a real difference in our communities," Nessel was quoted in a press release from the Michigan Attorney General's Office.
Among the eight companies settling, Mylan (now part of Viatris) shoulders the largest amount, agreeing to pay over nine years a total of $284,447,916, while others like Alvogen and Zydus will settle up in a single year, with their amounts being $18,680,162 and $14,859,220, respectively. The settlements include not just cash payouts but also provisions for free pharmaceutical products or cash equivalents for states opting for such an agreement. Furthermore, as part of confining the proliferation of these drugs, seven of these entities (excluding Indivior) are also shackled from marketing opioids, selling high-dose oxycodone pills over 40 mg, and are mandated to monitor suspicious orders. Indivior, however, is limited from manufacturing or selling opioid products but retains the right to market and sell medications to treat opioid dependence for the next decade.
Since her election in 2019, Attorney General Nessel has been at the forefront of Michigan's fight against opioid manufacturers and distributors, accruing over $1.6 billion in settlements intended for state and local government use in tackling opioid misuse. This financial arsenal, amassed from settlements with companies such as McKinsey & Co, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and a host of pharmacies including CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens, is instrumental for funding Michigan's aggressive opioid remediation strategies.
