For Immediate Release:
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Contact:
Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced a $150 million bipartisan multistate settlement in principle with opioid manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. Hikma produces a range of generic opioid products and sells hundreds of millions of opioid doses every year. The attorneys general allege that from 2006 to 2021, Hikma failed to monitor and report suspicious opioid orders from potentially illegal distributors, even while its personnel knew their systems to monitor suspicious orders were inadequate and prone to failure. The settlement will provide $115 million in cash and $35 million in opioid addiction treatment medication to resolve claims brought by states and local communities against Hikma. States that do not accept the medication will receive cash in lieu of product.
“Opioid companies that created and fueled the opioid crisis also helped to spark the fentanyl crisis,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “As a result, families all across our state are in pain so I’m going to keep holding the drug companies accountable to get people the treatment and recovery services they need to get and stay healthy.”
As part of the settlement in principle, Hikma will pay $150 million to participating states and localities, encompassing $115 million in cash and $35 million worth of opioid addiction treatment medication. The final terms of the deal will be determined after states and local governments sign on. North Carolina’s state and local governments may receive approximately $4 million from the agreement.
The settlement in principle was negotiated by the attorneys general of New York, California, Delaware, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia in coordination with an executive committee consisting of the attorneys general of Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, and Oregon.
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