Opioid Epidemic Lawsuits and Settlements Overview
Drug manufacturers and distributors played a significant role in the onset of the opioid epidemic. They made false claims in marketing these medications, asserting they were non-habit-forming. Between 2014 and 2021, over 3,000 state, county, and municipal governments filed lawsuits against companies in the pharmaceutical industry for the societal and economic costs associated with their products.
To resolve these lawsuits, opioid manufacturers and distributors offered a settlement of up to $26 billion. Negotiated by a coalition of state attorneys general, an agreement known as the "Master Settlement Agreement" was reached in early 2022. Since then, six other companies have settled lawsuits on a national scale, bringing the total amount of opioid settlement funds obligated to states, counties, and cities to over $50 billion.
For more information regarding the National Opioid Settlement, the Florida Settlement, and additional data on the impact of the opioid epidemic, please visit the following links:
Attorney General Moody Secures Relief for Opioid Crisis - My Florida Legal