Purdue Pharma reportedly offers $10–$12 billion to settle more than 2,000 opioid cases

The Sackler family is reportedly set to settle all its suits at once.
The Sackler-owned Purdue Pharma has agreed to offer $10–12 billion to settle cases involving its role in the opioid crisis, two people familiar with the deal tell NBC News. The more than 2,000 cases encompassed by the deal are from cities, states, and other municipalities who say the company facilitated the opioid outbreak across the U.S.
The collection of suits largely blame Purdue's sale and manufacture of opioids, but levy some individual allegations against the Sacklers and Purdue. Some suits simply allege Purdue used deceptive marketing practices to further the opioid epidemic, while Massachusetts' suit directly names members of the Sackler family. The reported $10–12 billion would cover all of these suits, and recipients would likely put the funds toward opioid prevention and rehabilitation. More than $4 billion would be go directly toward purchasing other drugs, some of which are used to save people from fatal overdoses, NBC News says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The report comes just a day after Johnson & Johnson was ruled to be responsible for the opioid outbreak in Oklahoma and ordered to pay $572 million — far less than the $17 billion Oklahoma originally wanted. Purdue Pharma had previously reached a $270 million settlement with Oklahoma in that case, which was the first of more than 2,000 opioid suits to go to trial.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 8, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - trade wars, healthcare costs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Marbled tea eggs recipe
The Week Recommends With a beautiful exterior, these eggs are also marked by their soft yolk
By The Week UK Published
-
The Washington Post: kowtowing to Trump?
Talking Point The newspaper's opinion editor has handed in his notice following edict from Jeff Bezos
By The Week UK Published
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published