NEW YORK – New York will receive up to $524 million from drugmaker Teva to settle claims that the company contributed to the U.S. opioid epidemic, the largest amount secured from an opioid manufacturer or distributor sued by the state, Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday.
The state has reached a series of settlements with drug companies following an attorney general's lawsuit in 2019 accusing them of deceptive marketing and failing to prevent the unlawful diversion of controlled substances.
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Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and its affiliates were found liable last year for public nuisance charges by a jury on Long Island. To resolve the remedies phase, Teva agreed to pay out $313 million over 18 years, James said.
New York will additionally receive $211 million from a $4.3 billion national settlement Teva agreed to in July if it is approved by state and local governments and tribes, according to the attorney general.
Teva was the last remaining opioid defendant not currently in bankruptcy and James said the agreement ends her litigation against the companies. The state has secured more than $2 billion to combat the scourge of opioids, she said.
New York created a settlement fund to earmark the money for abatement, treatment, and prevention efforts in hard-hit communities.
"This is a landmark day in our battle against the opioid crisis and I am proud to be able to deliver critical funding and resources to the communities Teva and other companies ravaged with their rampant misconduct,” James said in a prepared release.
The agreement includes a prohibition on marketing opioids, restrictions on political lobbying and a ban on high-dose opioids.
An email seeking comment was sent to Teva.