Drug Giants Pursuing $50 Billion Settlement of Opioid Cases
Source: New York Times
CLEVELAND As a critical trial deadline bears down, lawyers for states and the three largest drug distributors in the country, along with two manufacturers, have agreed on a framework for a deal to resolve thousands of opioid cases with a settlement worth nearly $50 billion in cash and addiction treatments.
Three people familiar with the negotiations said that cities and counties across the country are tentatively supporting the broad parameters of the deal but are negotiating over its total value as well as attorneys fees. They warned that details could change and the deal could still fall apart before Monday, when opening statements are to begin in the first federal trial to determine responsibility for the opioid epidemic.
The agreement would release AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson, which together distribute about 90 percent of the countrys medicines, along with Johnson & Johnson and Teva, the Israeli-based manufacturer of generic medicines, from a rapidly growing list of more than 2,300 lawsuits that they face in federal and state courts. All of the companies either didnt return requests for comment or declined to do so.
Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are leading the talks for the states, along with lawyers for thousands of cities and counties whose cases are in federal court.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/16/health/opioids-settlement-distributors.html
Cartaphelius
(868 posts)announcements should include the number of citizens murdered
and the amount of the profits Pharma.
$50 billion sounds like a drop in the proverbial bucket.
Kittycow
(2,396 posts)Isn't that what people are dying from?
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)other accomplices have visited on the peoples of the US and the world. I want to see people locked up at Gitmo! I want to see pharmaceutical companies bankrupted! note: I'm not a Christian so don't ask me to turn the other cheek.
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)to the real amount they should pay.
bringthePaine
(1,726 posts)it isn't enough; they should lose their jobs, right to vote, lobby, contribute to political campaigns-parties-candidates-efforts of any kind, while fully financing all rehab endeavors and making restitution to all persons and entities harmed my their willful, purposeful negligence; also do public service in orange jumpsuits, and other stuff I haven't thought of yet...
Aussie105
(5,211 posts)Who benefits from the lawsuits and the fines imposed?
If it goes to lawyer fees and general addiction treatments, those who have lost loved ones are going to see this as an empty victory.
Even if the opioid makers are ground into oblivion, without some structural changes in the profit making machinery of the pharma world, another player will just move into the vacuum. Nothing will change.
A shout out to those who have lost loved ones through the pharma greed. For I am one of you.