Attorney General Josh Stein today announced an $86 million multistate settlement in principle with opioid manufacturer Indivior for its role in the opioid crisis. North Carolina state and local governments are expected to receive approximately $2.5 million from this settlement. In total, Attorney General Stein has secured nearly $1.5 billion in opioid settlement funds for North Carolina.
“North Carolinians are dying every day from opioid overdoses,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I will continue to do everything in my power to hold accountable the companies that fueled this crisis. The money we have secured from this settlement will go a long way in helping people get the treatment and recovery services they need.”
Indivior produced buprenorphine-based products to treat opioid use disorder. However, Attorney General Stein alleged Indivior inappropriately targeted its sales to dangerous prescribers, including doctors running pill mills, and failed to monitor suspicious orders, leading to inappropriate prescriptions and misuse of its products. While Attorney General Stein supports evidence-based treatment for substance use disorder, including medications for opioid use disorder, the settlement alleges that Indivior engaged in activities that exacerbated the opioid crisis.
The announced settlement will provide $86 million to participating states over five years for opioid addiction treatment, recovery, and prevention programs. A final settlement remains contingent on agreement on critical business practice changes.
The settlement was negotiated by the attorneys general of New York, Illinois, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia in coordination with an executive committee consisting of the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Vermont.
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