Rokita announces $16.5 million for Indiana from latest drug company settlements

Indiana will receive more than $16 million from the latest settlements with drug companies over the opioid crisis.

Attorney General Todd Rokita announced some of the details of the nationwide agreements Monday.

The latest settlements involve eight different companies alleged to have contributed to the opioid crisis: Alvogen, Amneal, Apotex, Hikma, Indivior, Mylan, Sun and Zydus.

The nationwide settlements with the companies are for hundreds of millions of dollars. Indiana's share is $16.5 million — some of the money will be paid immediately, while some of it will be paid to states over multiple years.

In addition to the money, each of the companies are barred from advertising opioids, can't incentivize or reward employees based on opioid sales and are banned from manufacturing any drug with more than 40 milligrams of oxycodone.
 

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In a statement, Rokita said that while settlements like these can't undo the tragic loss of life caused by the opioid crisis, "we can hold accountable those responsible for contributing to the situations culminating in these deaths."

Rokita's office has helped secure multiple settlements with drug companies the last few years, including an agreement worth up to $100 million for Indiana announced last month.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.