In a legal saga that has gripped a nation haunted by the ravages of addiction, Purdue Pharma’s $7.4 billion opioid settlement surged forward Monday with full-throated support from all 55 U.S. states and territories, marking a dramatic turning point in America’s war against corporate-fueled drug epidemics.
Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court derailed Purdue’s previous bankruptcy plan, this newly restructured settlement—hailed by many as a long-awaited reckoning—puts the Sackler family, Purdue’s owners, on the financial firing line.
“For decades, the Sacklers put profits over people,” declared New York Attorney General Letitia James. “This plan finally begins to hold them accountable.”
Billions on the Table, Billions to Be Paid
As part of the massive restructured deal:
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$6.5 billion will come directly from the Sackler family, a $2 billion increase over their 2021 offer.
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Purdue Pharma itself will kick in $900 million toward the settlement fund.
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Initial payments—totaling most of the funds—will be distributed within the first three years, with the remainder spread across 15 years.
States already know their shares:
