Settlement allows for future lawsuits against Sackler family owners
A US bankruptcy court judge has indicated he will approve the $7.4 billion (£6 billion) settlement deal agreed between 15 US states, Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family who own the company. The deal, which was provisionally agreed in January, provides money to communities to support opioid addiction treatment and prevention, and pay for recovery programmes. It also requires the Sacklers to give up ownership of Purdue, which will transform into a non-profit called Knoa Pharma.
Unlike the previous settlement attempt, which was thrown out by the US supreme court, the deal does not protect the Sacklers from further legal claims over their involvement in aggressively marketing the opioid painkiller OxyContin (oxycodone) and downplaying its addiction risks. While the majority of claimants now support the deal, those that have opted out can still sue the Sacklers separately.
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