Purdue, Sackler Family Would Pay $7.4B Under New Opioid Settlement, Tong Says

by Viktoria Sundqvist

A $7.4 billion settlement has been reached in principle between states, victims, and members of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma for their roles in the opioid crisis, Attorney General William Tong said Thursday. 

Connecticut first sued Purdue  and individual members of the Sackler family in 2019, alleging that the company and family peddled a series of falsehoods to push patients toward its opioids while reaping massive profits. The company created “the most devastating public health crisis in American history,” Tong said. 

Sackler family members have denied wrongdoing or personal responsibility related to the opioid crisis. 

“I have said since day one that this fight has been about justice and accountability for the hundreds of thousands of victims and families wrecked by the opioid epidemic,” Tong said in a news release. “There will never be enough justice or dollars to restore those families or right this terrible wrong.”

The settlement deal – which still has to be approved by several states and municipalities who have sued Purdue and by both bankruptcy and state courts – would add $1.4 billion more than the prior settlement invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2024, while also accelerating aid to states and victims to fund opioid treatment and recovery, Tong said. 

The states who led the bipartisan negotiating team and have been engaged in active mediation since June include Connecticut, New York, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

If the new settlement deal is approved, Connecticut will receive approximately $64 million over 8 years. Connecticut’s plan is to use the funds for opioid treatment and prevention, as well as direct relief to victims and their families.

“This settlement is a significant step forward in addressing the immense harm caused by the opioid epidemic,” said Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Nancy Navarretta. 

“These funds will help save lives, support families, and strengthen communities. Our commitment remains resolute as we work to provide the care and resources needed to help individuals, families, and loved ones recover and rebuild their lives.”

Several bankruptcy plans and settlement proposals have been in the works over the years. One plan in 2021 would have shielded the Sackler family from responsibility, which several states sued over and a federal court eventually overturned. 

The settlement would end the Sacklers’ control of Purdue and bar them from selling opioids in the United States. Purdue will continue to be overseen by a monitor and will be prevented from lobbying or marketing opioids under the settlement, Tong said. The deal would also make public 30 million documents related to the opioid business.