Purdue Pushes For Opioid Settlement; Six States Pass On $26B J&J Deal
The role and financial responsibility of drugmakers in the national painkiller epidemic continues to be litigated in court. And two senators raise conflict of interest concerns over the FDA's contracts with McKinsey and Co., which also consulted for "wide range of actors in the opioid industry."
Reuters:
Six U.S. States Do Not Join $26 Bln Opioid Settlements With Distributors, J&J
At least six U.S. states, including Georgia, did not fully sign on to a proposed $26 billion settlement with three drug distributors and Johnson & Johnson, which have been accused of fueling the nation's opioid epidemic, according to the states' attorneys general. States had until Saturday to decide whether to support the $21 billion proposed settlement with McKesson Corp, AmerisourceBergen Corp and Cardinal Health Inc and a separate $5 billion agreement with J&J. But in a sign that talks were continuing despite the passing of the deadline, Georgia - the most populous hold-out state - on Monday indicated it could wind up backing the agreement. (Raymond and Hals, 8/24)
AP:
OxyContin Maker's Lawyer Warns Of Long, Expensive Litigation
A lawyer for Purdue Pharma said Monday that a judge needs to accept the OxyContin maker’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the opioid epidemic or face “years or decades of Hobbesian hell” with complicated litigation that would not result in fair payouts to abate the epidemic or pay individual victims. Marshall Huebner, a lawyer for Purdue, made his case during an ongoing videoconference hearing to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain, who expects to rule this week on whether to accept the Stamford, Connecticut-based company’s reorganization plan. (Mulvihill, 8/23)
AP:
Senators Question FDA On Work With Opioid Maker Consultant
Several U.S. senators are questioning the Food and Drug Administration’s work with a consulting firm that helped businesses sell prescription painkillers during the nation’s overdose crisis. Democrat Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa, among others, have asked the FDA about potential conflicts of interest in its work with McKinsey and Co. The senators sent a letter Monday to the FDA noting that the agency paid McKinsey more than $140 million after hiring it several times starting in 2008. (Murphy, 8/23)
Also —
AP:
Legal Aid Services Get $1.2M To Help Fight Substance Abuse
Kentucky’s civil legal service programs have received nearly $1.2 million from federal grants to help them respond to the state’s drug epidemic, Gov. Andy Beshear said. Local programs can use the funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid and Stimulant Substance Abuse Program to help those impacted by substance abuse create a pathway to recovery and healing, Beshear and Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Secretary Kerry Harvey said Monday in a statement. (8/24)
