Kansas to receive millions for opioid drug settlement

KANSAS (KSNT) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said the Sunflower State will be included in a $720 million opioid settlement with drug manufacturers.

The attorney general’s office issued a press release on Tuesday, July 15 announcing that eight drug manufacturers will pay states due to the “nationwide opioid crisis.” Kansas is due to receive $5.7 million of the $720 million settlement.

“We are holding these companies accountable for the human suffering caused by years of their illegal marketing practices,” Kobach said. “These dollars will help save lives, because the funds will be used to prevent and treat drug addiction throughout Kansas.”

The eight drug companies and the amount they will pay to address the opioid crisis as part of the deal are:

• Mylan (now part of Viatris): $284,447,916 paid over nine years.
• Hikma: $95,818,293 paid over one to four years.
• Amneal: $71,751,010 paid over 10 years.
• Apotex: $63,682,369 paid in a single year. 
• Indivior: $38,022,450 paid over four years. 
• Sun: $30,992,087 paid over one to four years. 
• Alvogen: $18,680,162 paid in a single year.
• Zydus: $14,859,220 paid in a single year. 

Several of the settlements allow states to receive free pharmaceutical products instead of cash, according to the press release. Seven of the companies sued will be prohibited from marketing opioids, opioid products, making any product that contains more than 40mg of oxycodone and are required to implement a monitoring and reporting system for certain orders.

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