Guiding Industry Settlements of Opioid Litigation
Hodge JG, Gostin LO. Guiding industry settlements of opioid litigation. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2019; June 12, 2019.
12 Pages Posted: 21 Jun 2019
Date Written: June 1, 2019
Abstract
The recent $270 million settlement of Purdue Pharmaceuticals and the State of Oklahoma on March 26, 2019 concerning the state’s opioid litigation is a harbinger of industry settlements to come. Thousands of opioid-related cases with impending trial dates may stimulate opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to seek new deals to escape historic liability. Against a backdrop of massive damage potential of a two decade opioid epidemic, reaching appropriate settlements is key. Parties to opioid lawsuits must balance an array of factors to assure industry accountability while preserving access to opioids among legitimate patients seeking palliative care. These factors include (1) a primary focus on contemporary treatment and prevention strategies supplemented by research innovations; (2) primary access to life-saving treatments for at-risk individuals; (3) fair and equitable allocation of settlement resources; (4) dedication to lawful, efficacious interventions; (5) cross-sharing of industry data and practices to promote good faith compliance; and (6) continued assurance of access to palliative care for deserving patients.
Keywords: opioids, litigation, settlement, liability, risks, lawsuits
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