States have agreed to collect about $720 million from eight drug companies accused of fueling the opioid crisis. This deal comes after state attorneys general across the country teamed up to hold these companies accountable.
The money will be divided among states based on how badly they were affected by the opioid epidemic and how many states decide to join the settlement. Payments are expected to start in 2026. Some Northeast states are set to receive significant amounts, including New York with nearly $39 million, Pennsylvania $28 million, and Maryland $24.5 million. Other states like New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Virginia will also get millions, while smaller allocations will go to states like Vermont and Rhode Island.
The companies involved are paying varying sums over different time frames. Mylan, now part of Viatris, will pay the largest share—more than $284 million over nine years. Hikma will contribute around $96 million over up to four years, and Amneal plans to pay about $72 million across a decade. The other companies, such as Apotex, Indivior, Sun, Alvogen, and Zydus, will also chip in millions, some in a single payment and others over several years.
In addition to cash, these companies will provide about $14 million more in funding. Four of them—Mylan, Hikma, Amneal, and Indivior—will also supply opioid addiction treatment medications or equivalent cash worth around $86 million to participating states.
The agreement includes restrictions on how these companies can promote and sell opioids. Except for Indivior, none can promote or market opioids, sell products with more than 40 mg of oxycodone per pill, or ignore suspicious order monitoring. Indivior has agreed not to make or sell opioids for the next 10 years but will keep marketing addiction treatment drugs.
This settlement was led by attorneys general from several states, including North Carolina, California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. The funds aim to provide communities with the resources they need to continue fighting the opioid crisis.
Officials from affected states expressed hope the money will support healing. Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares criticized how drug companies exploited communities, pushing harmful and addictive drugs while profiting. New York Attorney General Letitia James highlighted how this funding could help communities still struggling with addiction.
The opioid epidemic is far from over. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported an estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths in 2024, a 27% drop from 2023. Although this decline is encouraging, some states still face high overdose rates and increased prescribing of opioids.
The CDC credits public education, better prescribing habits, and wider access to the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone for the progress made. Yet, the rise of illegal fentanyl and counterfeit pills remains a serious threat, driving many overdose deaths.
This settlement stands as another step toward addressing an ongoing national health crisis, aiming to fund treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts in communities hit hard by opioid addiction.