New York state and two of its counties will receive $200 million from pharmaceutical company Allergan Finance LLC that would eventually eliminate the company from the ongoing state lawsuit over the opioid crisis.
Attorney General Letitia James reported in the statement that opioids have created havoc for almost two years among the New Yorkers and Americans across the nation resulting in extreme pain, addiction and several deaths. The ongoing trial will help the court to determine the role of companies like Allergan and other opioid manufacturers in the ongoing drug crisis in the United States.
Allergan's $200 million settlement will help the state deal with the opioid-related issues and will also cover attorneys’ fees and costs. Previously Allergan decided to discontinue its opioid business although it had less than 1% of the market share in the nationwide opioid market.
Allergan's agreement results in Teva Pharmaceuticals being the remaining defendant in the ongoing trial of Suffolk County in recent months. Anda, a regional drug distribution company and Teva are also defendants in a county lawsuit.
The state even reached an agreement with Endo International in a similar suit. Allergan did not admit to any liability as part of the agreement.
About thousands of lawsuits have been filed by state and local governments, unions, school districts, Native American tribes and other drug companies, and the current lawsuit is one of them. All the lawsuits highlight the adverse effects of opioids on individuals across the nation. In the last two decades, opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S.
