Vermont could receive millions of dollars under a national settlement reached Thursday with Oxycontin manufacturer Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. The deal still needs to be approved by a federal judge.
The new settlement comes after several attorneys general, including Vermont attorney general TJ Donovan, a previous deal reached in bankruptcy court. That plan required the Sackler family to pay about $4.3 billion dollars over nine years and would grant them legal immunity from future lawsuits over Purdue鈥檚 role in creating the opioid epidemic.
A federal judge overturned the original deal in December and court-ordered medication to reach a new settlement began in January, according to the attorney general鈥檚 office.
Under the deal, the Sacklers will pay at least $5.5 billion and up to $6 billion. The current settlement would still grant the Sacklers protection from current and future lawsuits, according to .
Attorney General TJ Donovan said Vermont could get around $26 million dollars from the deal 鈥� double what the state was slated to get under the .
鈥淲e may be able to get more than that,鈥� Donovan said in an interview. 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a couple more twists and turns on this deal as it鈥檚 worked out over the next couple of days before it goes to court.鈥�
The money from the settlement would go toward opioid treatment and recovery programs.
The settlement would resolve Vermont鈥檚 lawsuits against and the , which allege that the company fueled the opioid crisis through deceptive marketing practices that promoted Oxycontin and downplayed its risks.
The Purdue settlement is the second major opioid-related settlement to be announced in recent days. Last week, the attorney general鈥檚 office Vermont would receive $64 million under a settlement with four companies whose business practices allegedly fueled the opioid crisis.
Have questions, comments or tips? or get in touch with reporter Liam Elder-Connors .
