BREAKING NEWS
The threat of litigation looms as Purdue Pharma returns to settlement talks
Read full article: The threat of litigation looms as Purdue Pharma returns to settlement talksOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the family that owns it and lawyers for thousands of parties with claims against it are getting ready to work on a new settlement after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the last one.
The legal odyssey for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners is complex. Here's what to know
Read full article: The legal odyssey for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners is complex. Here's what to knowThe Supreme Court has rejected a settlement for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family who own the company.
The Supreme Court rejects a nationwide opioid settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma
Read full article: The Supreme Court rejects a nationwide opioid settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue PharmaThe Sackler family members who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma say they're disappointed in the Supreme Court's rejection of a nationwide settlement that would've shielded them from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would've provided billions of dollars to combat the epidemic.
Consulting firm McKinsey agrees to $78 million settlement with insurers over opioids
Read full article: Consulting firm McKinsey agrees to $78 million settlement with insurers over opioidsConsulting firm McKinsey and Co. has agreed to pay $78 million to settle claims from insurers and health care funds that its marketing work with Purdue Pharma helped fuel an opioid addiction crisis.
The Supreme Court wrestles with OxyContin maker's bankruptcy deal, with billions of dollars at stake
Read full article: The Supreme Court wrestles with OxyContin maker's bankruptcy deal, with billions of dollars at stakeThe Supreme Court is wrestling with a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would shield members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids.
OxyContin maker's settlement plan divides victims of opioid crisis. Now it's up to the Supreme Court
Read full article: OxyContin maker's settlement plan divides victims of opioid crisis. Now it's up to the Supreme CourtThe legality of an agreement by the maker of OxyContin to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harm done by opioids is going before the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court blocks, for now, OxyContin maker bankruptcy deal that would shield Sacklers
Read full article: Supreme Court blocks, for now, OxyContin maker bankruptcy deal that would shield SacklersThe Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would shield members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids.
Court says OxyContin maker's bankruptcy and protections for Sackler family members can move ahead
Read full article: Court says OxyContin maker's bankruptcy and protections for Sackler family members can move aheadOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma can start its transformation under a bankruptcy agreement that allows the members of the wealthy Sackler family who own the company to avoid civil lawsuits over the opioid crisis, a court has ruled.
Ruling clears way for Purdue Pharma to settle opioid claims, protects Sacklers from lawsuits
Read full article: Ruling clears way for Purdue Pharma to settle opioid claims, protects Sacklers from lawsuitsA federal court ruling has cleared the way for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle thousands of legal claims over the toll of opioids.
6 books compete for nonfiction 'winner of winners' prize
Read full article: 6 books compete for nonfiction 'winner of winners' prizeBooks that explore subjects from William Shakespeare and The Beatles to the lure of Mount Everest and life inside one of the world’s most secretive states are competing to be named the best-ever winner of Britain’s leading nonfiction book prize.
Laura Poitras film spotlights activist photographer Goldin
Read full article: Laura Poitras film spotlights activist photographer GoldinLaura Poitras' Nan Goldin documentary "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” is having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, where it is part of the main competition slate.
Vance's anti-drug charity enlisted doctor echoing Big Pharma
Read full article: Vance's anti-drug charity enlisted doctor echoing Big PharmaWhen bestselling author JD Vance founded “Our Ohio Renewal” a day after the 2016 presidential election, he promoted the charity as a vehicle for helping solve the scourge of opioid addiction he’d lamented in his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”.
Walgreens, Florida settle opioid costs lawsuit for $683M
Read full article: Walgreens, Florida settle opioid costs lawsuit for $683MThe Walgreens pharmacy chain has reached a $683 million settlement with the state of Florida in a lawsuit accusing the company of improperly dispensing millions of painkillers that contributed to the opioid crisis.
Lawmakers scrutinize McKinsey's opioid, FDA consulting work
Read full article: Lawmakers scrutinize McKinsey's opioid, FDA consulting workLawmakers vowed to continue investigating consulting firm McKinsey’s company after a hearing scrutinizing the company's for the Food and Drug Administration even as it advised opioid drugmakers on boosting sales.
Trial opens in Florida opioid lawsuit case against Walgreens
Read full article: Trial opens in Florida opioid lawsuit case against WalgreensTrial opened Monday in Florida’s opioid epidemic lawsuit against the Walgreens pharmacy chain, which state officials accuse of prioritizing profits over health by improperly dispensing millions of powerful painkillers that caused tens of thousands of deaths.
Yale strikes Sackler name from campus amid opioid outrage
Read full article: Yale strikes Sackler name from campus amid opioid outrageYale University has begun removing the Sackler name from its campus several years after announcing it would no longer accept donations from the family that owns OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma.
Facing Purdue owners brings pain, closure for opioid victims
Read full article: Facing Purdue owners brings pain, closure for opioid victimsA sense of closure is mixing with anger and pain for some of the nearly two dozen people who told their personal stories to members of the family that owns OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma.
'Scum of the earth': Drug victims face Purdue Pharma owners
Read full article: 'Scum of the earth': Drug victims face Purdue Pharma ownersAddiction and overdose survivors and those who have lost loved ones have unleashed their emotions on members of the family they blame for fueling the opioid epidemic.
Judge favors boosting Sackler payment in Purdue Pharma deal
Read full article: Judge favors boosting Sackler payment in Purdue Pharma dealA judge has indicated he is moving forward with a plan for the owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to pump at least another $1.2 billion into a nationwide settlement of lawsuits against over the toll of opioids.
Judge gives more time for Purdue Pharma settlement talks
Read full article: Judge gives more time for Purdue Pharma settlement talksA judge said he is extending legal protections for members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma by another three weeks to buy time to work out a new settlement to thousands of lawsuits over the opioid crisis.
Mediator: Sacklers willing to pay more in Purdue settlement
Read full article: Mediator: Sacklers willing to pay more in Purdue settlementA report filed in federal bankruptcy court says members of the Sackler family who own Purdue Pharma are willing to increase their contribution to a nationwide opioid settlement by more than $1 billion.
Mediator: Purdue Pharma close to reaching a new settlement
Read full article: Mediator: Purdue Pharma close to reaching a new settlementWith a settlement possibly near, a judge is giving the family that owns OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma 16 more days of protection from lawsuits over the toll of opioids.
Suits against OxyContin owners on hold; negotiations ordered
Read full article: Suits against OxyContin owners on hold; negotiations orderedA judge has kept lawsuits against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family who own it on hold until Feb. 1 but ordered the parties to negotiate a new settlement.
Uncertainty follows court's rejection of Purdue opioids deal
Read full article: Uncertainty follows court's rejection of Purdue opioids dealA federal judge’s decision to reject a multibillion dollar opioid settlement involving OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is being hailed as a step toward justice by advocates who have long called for greater accountability for the family that owns the company.
Metropolitan Museum of Art cuts Sackler name amid opioid ire
Read full article: Metropolitan Museum of Art cuts Sackler name amid opioid ireThe Metropolitan Museum of Art is dropping the Sackler name from seven exhibition spaces amid growing outrage over the role the family may have played in the opioid crisis.
Use of OxyContin profits to fight opioids formally approved
Read full article: Use of OxyContin profits to fight opioids formally approvedA judge formally approved a plan Friday to turn OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma into a new company no longer owned by members of the Sackler family and with its profits going to fight the opioid epidemic.
Purdue: Settlement better for states than continuing suits
Read full article: Purdue: Settlement better for states than continuing suitsA Purdue Pharma lawyer says states would get more money from settling with the company than if they were allowed to continue their lawsuits against the OxyContin maker and members of the Sackler family who own it.
Ex-chair of Purdue denies responsibility for opioid crisis
Read full article: Ex-chair of Purdue denies responsibility for opioid crisisFormer Purdue Pharma president and chair Richard Sackler says he, his family and the company do not have any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the United States.
Heir: Sacklers won't settle unless freed from opioid suits
Read full article: Heir: Sacklers won't settle unless freed from opioid suitsA member of the family that owns Purdue Pharma has told a court that the family will not contribute billions to abate the U.S. opioid crisis unless it is granted protection from current and future lawsuits.
Purdue Pharma director grilled on proposed opioid settlement
Read full article: Purdue Pharma director grilled on proposed opioid settlementPurdue Pharma's quest to settle thousands of lawsuits over OxyContin's toll has entered its final phase with the grudging acceptance of most of those who have claims against the company.
US opioid lawsuits on verge of settlements with 4 companies
Read full article: US opioid lawsuits on verge of settlements with 4 companiesThe yearslong effort by state and local governments in the U.S. to force the pharmaceutical industry to help pay to fix a nationwide opioid addiction and overdose crisis took a major step forward Tuesday.
EXPLAINER: $26B opioid settlement big step, but not the end
Read full article: EXPLAINER: $26B opioid settlement big step, but not the endA $26 billion settlement between the three biggest U.S. drug distribution companies and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and thousands of states and municipalities that sued over the toll of the opioid crisis is certainly significant — but it is far from tying a neat bow on the tangle of still-unresolved lawsuits surrounding the epidemic.
US opioid lawsuits on verge of settlements with 4 companies
Read full article: US opioid lawsuits on verge of settlements with 4 companiesThe three biggest U.S. drug distribution companies and the drugmaker Johnson & Johnson are on the verge of a $26 billion deal to settle lawsuits brought by state and local governments across the country over the toll of prescription opioids, lawyers suing on behalf of local governments said.
Virginia to get at least $80M in lawsuit settlement against Purdue Pharma
Read full article: Virginia to get at least $80M in lawsuit settlement against Purdue PharmaOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's plan to reorganize into a new entity that helps combat the U.S. opioid epidemic got a big boost as 15 states that had previously opposed the new business model now support it.
Purdue Pharma exit plan gains steam with OK from more states
Read full article: Purdue Pharma exit plan gains steam with OK from more statesOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's plan to reorganize into an entity whose profits will be used to combat the U.S. opioid crisis got a big boost as 15 states have dropped their objections to the new business model.
Democrats push bill aimed at family that owns Purdue Pharma
Read full article: Democrats push bill aimed at family that owns Purdue PharmaA congressional committee has heard grievances against the owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma as it considered legislation that would keep them from using a corporate bankruptcy as a shield for personal liability.
AP Interview: State AG pushes accountability in opioid cases
Read full article: AP Interview: State AG pushes accountability in opioid casesMassachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says she opposes the current plan by Purdue Pharma to settle thousands of lawsuits over the opioid epidemic in part because it would help preserve wealth for members of the Sackler family who own the company.
AG Mark Herring among those dissapointed in Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan
Read full article: AG Mark Herring among those dissapointed in Purdue Pharma bankruptcy planAll rights reserved)Attorney General Mark Herring joined 23 other states to express his disappointment in the plan Purdue Pharma plan filed in bankruptcy court. With the $10 billion bankruptcy plan, Purdue Pharma proposes to change into a different company that will use some of its profits to help the U.S. fight the opioid crisis. Herring said after the long investigation conducted by states, Purdue and the Sacklers, the family who owns the company, need to take accountability for their role in creating the opioid crisis. This Purdue Pharma plan follows a trial in October 2020 where Purdue Pharma pled guilty to three counts tied to an opioid addiction and overdose crisis linked to more than 470,000 deaths in the country since 2000, according to the Associated Press. Violating federal anti-kickback lawsMarketing opioids to doctors that it suspected of writing illegal prescriptionsHerring said that Purdue needs to adjust its plan to provide for the following:
Advocates, some AGs wary of Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan
Read full article: Advocates, some AGs wary of Purdue Pharma bankruptcy planA group of nearly half the state attorneys general said it was disappointed in the plan Purdue filed late Monday night in federal bankruptcy court and some said they would seek changes. Members of the Sackler family who own Purdue would contribute about $4.3 billion. AdCynthia Munger, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, said Purdue's plan is too focused on providing legal protections for members of the Sackler family. On a Facebook Live video Tuesday, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat, said the payment from Sackler family members was too little. AdIn recent letters to a congressional committee, Sackler family members said those who previously served on Purdue's board of directors had combined net assets of $1.1 billion.
McKinsey agrees to pay nearly $600M over opioid crisis
Read full article: McKinsey agrees to pay nearly $600M over opioid crisisThe global business consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to a $573 million settlement over its role in the opioid crisis, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)The global consulting firm McKinsey & Company agreed to pay nearly $600 million for its role in advising businesses on how to sell more prescription opioid painkillers amid a nationwide overdose crisis. Washington's attorney general announced a separate $13.5 million deal and West Virginia announced a $10 million settlement with the New York-based company. On a video call with journalists Thursday, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said that McKinsey worked for Purdue for 15 years. AdIn a statement, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said that McKinsey would pay out more than it made advising companies on opioid sales.
AP Source: McKinsey to pay $573M for role in opioid crisis
Read full article: AP Source: McKinsey to pay $573M for role in opioid crisisThe global business consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to a $573 million settlement over its role in the opioid crisis, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Without naming McKinsey, the attorneys general in at least North Carolina and West Virginia have scheduled announcements for Thursday morning regarding the opioid crisis. Purdue agreed to pay $225 million to the U.S. government. Members of the Sackler family who own the company agreed to pay the same amount in a separate settlement announced the same day. The company and family members reached separate agreements with U.S. Justice Department, both announced Oct. 21, 2020.
Family behind Purdue Pharma to face congressional scrutiny
Read full article: Family behind Purdue Pharma to face congressional scrutinyFILE - This Oct. 21, 2020 file photo shows Purdue Pharma headquarters in Stamford, Conn. Two members of the Sackler family have agreed to make a rare public appearance to take questions from a congressional committee that is investigating the role of the company they own, Purdue Pharma, in fueling the nation's opioid epidemic. The company agreed to pay more than $8 billion in forfeitures and penalties, while members of the Sackler family would have to pay $225 million to the government. No family member would be criminally prosecuted under the Justice Department settlement, although the deal leaves open that possibility. A third branch of the family sold their stake in the company before the blockbuster painkiller was developed in the 1990s. In a letter to the Oversight Committee this week, Temple University law professor Jonathan Lipson said the committee should push for family members to contribute more though the bankruptcy process.
Family members who own Purdue to appear before Congress
Read full article: Family members who own Purdue to appear before CongressTwo members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma agreed to appear this week before a congressional committee investigating the family and the company's role in the national opioid addiction and overdose epidemic. The committee scheduled and then canceled a hearing earlier this month after family members would not commit to appearing. Under the deal, family members would also pay at least $3 billion in cash over time. Most Democratic state attorneys general oppose the settlement, saying they want more accountability for Sackler family members. The agreement did not result in criminal claims against Sackler family members, but left open the possibility that some could be brought.
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma pleads guilty in criminal case
Read full article: OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma pleads guilty in criminal caseFILE - In this Tuesday, May 8, 2007, file photo, a Purdue Pharma logo is affixed to part of a Purdue building in Stamford, Conn. Proposed settlements between the federal government and OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners cleared a major legal hurdle Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, when a bankruptcy judge said they could move ahead. The guilty pleas were entered by Purdue board chairperson Steve Miller on behalf of the company. The attorneys general for about half the states opposed the federal settlement, as well as the company’s proposed settlement in bankruptcy court. In the bankruptcy case, Purdue has proposed transforming into a public benefit corporation with its proceeds going to help address the opioid crisis.
Bankruptcy judge OKs federal settlement with Purdue Pharma
Read full article: Bankruptcy judge OKs federal settlement with Purdue PharmaProposed settlements between the federal government and OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners cleared a major legal hurdle Tuesday when a bankruptcy judge said they could move ahead. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain does not need to approve the Sacklers' federal settlement, but he did rule Tuesday that the payment portion of it was allowable. Drain, based in White Plains, New York, had a say on Purdue's federal settlement because the company is going through bankruptcy as part of its efforts to resolve the thousands of civil claims against it. Opponents argued that accepting the settlement now locks the judge into accepting the company’s proposal to resolve the lawsuits, including some terms that remain contentious. “Both entities, after all, have the public interest as their guiding imperative and share an interest in resolving the opioid crisis,” Drain said.
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to plead to 3 criminal charges
Read full article: OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to plead to 3 criminal chargesThe Justice Department says on Wednesday, Purdue Pharma, the company that makes OxyContin, will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges as part of a settlement of more than $8 billion. The deal does not release any of the company’s executives or owners — members of the wealthy Sackler family — from criminal liability, and a criminal investigation is ongoing. Family members said they acted “ethically and lawfully,” but some state attorneys general said the agreement fails to hold the Sacklers accountable. Purdue will make a direct payment to the government of $225 million, which is part of a larger $2 billion criminal forfeiture. Until recently, the Sackler name was on museum galleries and educational programs around the world because of gifts from family members.
Experts: Revamped OxyContin hasn't curbed abuse, overdoses
Read full article: Experts: Revamped OxyContin hasn't curbed abuse, overdosesIn a series of non-binding votes, the FDA experts said that the updated OxyContin appeared to cut down abuse via snorting and injecting, compared to the original drug. But panelists overwhelmingly ruled that data from Purdue and other researchers did not show that the reformulation curbed abuse overall or led to fewer overdoses. Panelists said the shortcomings were due, in part, to the challenges of studying overdoses, which often involve multiple drugs. Purdue’s 2010 revamped OxyContin was the first of several opioids developed by drugmakers to help curb abuse. Purdue said in a statement following the meeting it would continue to work with the FDA as it reviewed the OxyContin studies.
Purdue Pharma allowed bonus payout in bankruptcy case
Read full article: Purdue Pharma allowed bonus payout in bankruptcy caseBOSTON - The judge overseeing the bankruptcy case for opioid-maker Purdue Pharma issued an interim order late Wednesday allowing the company and its subsidiaries to continue paying its employees, former employees and retirees. Purdue Pharma's long-standing annual incentive program pays out based on performance of the employee and the company. Purdue employees' deep technical expertise and know-how are essential components of the company's business. More than 70 attorneys showed up at a federal courthouse in White Plains, New York, on Tuesday for the first hearing in Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy court proceedings. Purdue estimates after bankruptcy filings are complete, it will provide more than $10 billion in funding to address the opioid crisis.
Here's what we know about Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy filing
Read full article: Here's what we know about Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy filingHere is what we know about the bankruptcy filing. What is the effect of the bankruptcy filing? The bankruptcy filing begins the process of settling the multi-district litigation brought by more than 2,000 counties and municipalities and Native American governments. Purdue Pharma reached a preliminary proposed settlement last week, officials from the Plaintiff's Executive Committee (PEC) said. Paul Hanley Jr., co-lead counsel for the multi-district litigation against opioid manufacturers, said the bankruptcy filing was a step in the right direction.
Purdue Pharma files for bankruptcy
Read full article: Purdue Pharma files for bankruptcyCopyright 2019 CNNNEW YORK - Purdue Pharma filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York Sunday as part of its framework for settling litigation with multiple states and governments. The Sackler family, which owns the company, had been in talks for weeks to settle cases brought by more than 2,000 states, counties, municipalities and Native American governments against Purdue Pharma and other opioid companies. The proposed settlement has not received unanimous support, with many attorneys general opposing it and vowing to continue fighting the company. Last week, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that authorities had discovered that the Sackler family had wired about $1 billion between the owners of Purdue Pharma, the entities they control and different financial institutions. Sackler, a former Purdue board member were discovered.
Purdue Pharma made $1B in wire transfers
Read full article: Purdue Pharma made $1B in wire transfersCopyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - Authorities have identified about $1 billion in wire transfers between the owners of pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma, the entities they control and different financial institutions, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Friday. The New York attorney general's office is trying to determine how much money the Sacklers have amassed and where it is. Millions of dollars in wire transfers involving Mortimer D.A. The Sacklers and Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, have fought to limit discovery and subpoena action by the attorney general's office. Some wire transfers continued through last year, the filing saysSackler was involved in 137 wire transfers totaling nearly $20 million, and some of those transfers occurred as recently as 2018, the filing indicates.
What's News Today: September 12, 2019
Read full article: What's News Today: September 12, 2019Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines across the country and Southwest Virginia. Local elected officials from the Roanoke and New River Valleys will take part in a joint meeting today. Roanoke's Architectural Review Board will review plans for Angels of Assisi's new animal clinic. Letters, documents, certificates and photos will be scanned and saved by the World War I and II Commemoration Commission. It was created by the General Assembly to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I and 75th anniversary of World War II.
Purdue Pharma, opioid cases have preliminary proposed settlement
Read full article: Purdue Pharma, opioid cases have preliminary proposed settlementCopyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - Purdue Pharma has reached a preliminary proposed settlement with multiple state, local and tribal governments that accuse the company of helping to drive the opioid crisis, officials said. It allows the Sackler family to walk away billionaires and admit no wrongdoing," Shapiro said in a statement obtained by CNN. Sackler family wants a 'global resolution'The Sackler family issued a short statement Wednesday, but did not address the proposed settlement. Attorneys general in Connecticut and Massachusetts told CNN they have not made any settlement agreement with Purdue Pharma at this time. The attorneys general from Tennessee and North Carolina also wrote they expected Purdue Pharma to file for bankruptcy protection "imminently."
Sackler family could give up Purdue Pharma, source says
Read full article: Sackler family could give up Purdue Pharma, source saysThe source said the Sacklers would no longer own Purdue Pharma and pay $3 billion out of pocket, plus up to another $1.5 billion dependent on the sale of the company. Purdue Pharma, which manufactures OxyContin, is at the center of the opioid crisis in America. Yesterday, two state attorneys general involved in the talks indicated the negotiations with the Sackler family had broken down, according to a letter provided to CNN by a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The attorneys general from Tennessee and North Carolina also write they expect Purdue Pharma to file for bankruptcy protection "imminently." Previous reports from The New York Times, the Washington Post and NBC news said that the Sackler family would give up ownership of Purdue Pharma and pay at least $3 billion of its own money under terms of the settlement proposal.
Report: OxyContin maker expected to file for bankruptcy
Read full article: Report: OxyContin maker expected to file for bankruptcyCopyright 2019 CNNOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is expected to file for bankruptcy after settlement talks over the overdose crisis have hit an impasse, The Associated Press reported Saturday. Distributed by LAKANA. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Purdue Pharma in settlement talks over 2,000 lawsuits
Read full article: Purdue Pharma in settlement talks over 2,000 lawsuitsCopyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - Purdue Pharma told CNN it is involved in settlement talks with regards to a trial in Ohio where over 2,000 municipalities and Native American governments are suing the company. Purdue did not confirm a specific monetary amount for the potential settlement. NBC first reported the settlement talks. It is unclear if these two northeastern Ohio counties are part of current settlement negotiations with Purdue. Oklahoma previously reached settlements with two other opioid drugmakers: a $270 million settlement with Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, and an $85 million settlement with Teva Pharmaceuticals, one of the world's leading providers of generic drugs.