New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a multistate settlement in principle with pharmaceutical company Mylan Inc. to address the ongoing opioid crisis. The settlement, which could reach up to $335 million nationwide, results from allegations that Mylan deceptively marketed its opioid products, including fentanyl patches, as being less prone to abuse, despite evidence to the contrary.
Mylan, now part of Viatris, has been accused of promoting its opioids in a way that contributed to overprescribing and diverting opioids into the illegal drug market. The payment will be distributed over nine years to the participating states.
Attorney General Letitia James stated, "When drug companies put profits over people, innocent patients can get sucked into deadly cycles of addiction and overdoses." She added that while no settlement can fully repair the damage caused by opioids, the funds will help combat the crisis.
The settlement involves nine state attorneys general and coordination with seven others. Attorney General James, renowned for her efforts in holding companies accountable for their roles in the opioid crisis, has secured over $3 billion for New York's opioid abatement efforts. The settlements involve numerous pharmaceutical companies and retailers like CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart.
Key personnel in negotiating the settlement for New York included First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy, Special Counsel Monica Hanna, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Conrad, and Data Scientist Ken Morales.