Michigan is part of a $573 million settlement that is the result of suit brought against major players in the rise of the use of prescription opioids over the past two decades. The payout comes from McKinsey and Company, which is a consulting firm that worked for Purdue Pharma, among others, the maker of the highly addictive painkiller, OxyContin.
Michigan’s cut of the payout, $19.5 million, will be used to address some of the fallout of the opioid crisis that has ravaged many Michigan communities and destroyed families. There is further litigation still in the courts, with suit filed against Cardinal Health Inc., McKesson Corp., AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. and Walgreens. The accusation is that the use of OxyContin and other schedule II and III narcotics increased drastically due to aggressive marketing schemes that focused on profits over health and safety of the users.
Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel, said, “I want to be clear, this one case, while significant, is only the beginning, and our collective efforts are underway to obtain extensive additional support for those grappling with addiction and to ensure those responsible for creating it answer for their actions.”
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
