Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, will pay $270 million to settle claims by the Oklahoma attorney general that the company helped fuel America’s opioid crisis, TheWall Street Journal reports. It’s the first settlement to be agreed upon from more than 1,600 opioid lawsuits the OxyContin maker faces various from states, cities, and counties. Oklahoma is just one of 37 states to sue Purdue Pharma since 2017. The state’s case has the earliest scheduled trial date, on May 28, which has made it a focal point in the widespread opioid litigation. Purdue Pharma and its billionaire owners have come under intense scrutiny and criticism for their alleged roles in helping the opioid crisis take hold. Lawsuits claim its aggressive marketing and the painkillers encouraged drug addiction. The company has said it is exploring bankruptcy in a move that could allow it to resolve the legal claims against it on a global basis.
