Attorney General Dave Sunday has announced a significant settlement involving Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, potentially bringing up to $212 million to Pennsylvania for substance abuse treatment and recovery resources. This agreement is part of a broader $7.4 billion settlement reached by a bipartisan coalition of states and other parties with Purdue Pharma, Inc., and the Sacklers, who have been implicated in contributing to the ongoing opioid crisis.
The proposed settlement, pending court approval, follows the United States Supreme Court's decision in June 2024 to overturn a previous multistate settlement. If approved, it would represent the largest national settlement with individuals linked to the opioid crisis.
Attorney General Sunday stated, "No dollar amount could ever replace what has been lost due to the opioid epidemic, but this settlement will go a long way in bolstering treatment resources and helping Pennsylvanians achieve recovery." He emphasized that Purdue Pharma's manufacturing and marketing practices around OxyContin played a significant role in exacerbating the epidemic.
Under this agreement, control of Purdue will be removed from the Sacklers, ending their ability to sell opioids in the U.S. The funds from this settlement are earmarked for supporting opioid addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery programs over 15 years. The initial payments include $1.5 billion from the Sacklers and nearly $900 million from Purdue within three years.
Additionally, more than 30 million documents related to Purdue’s operations will be made public if the settlement proceeds as planned. These documents include those subject to compliance with previous legal judgments.
The eight heirs of Purdue founders Raymond and Mortimer Sackler involved in this agreement include Richard, Kathe, Mortimer Jr., Ilene, David, Theresa Sackler; along with Jonathan and Beverly Sackler's estates. Their associated trusts and advisers are also included.
This announcement comes with support from attorneys general across several states including New York, California, Colorado among others.