Iowa To Get Millions From Billion Dollar Opioid Settlement

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has announced that the state of Iowa will receive millions of dollars in a huge multi-billion settlement against a former opioid manufacturer.

The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa and many other states accused the company Allergan of downplaying the risk of addiction in its name brand and generic brand opioids. The company was also accused of failing to take action to prevent the drugs from being part of illegal trade. The drugs Norco and Kadian were intended for patients suffering from chronic pain, according to the Register. The company will pay a settlement amount of $2.7 billion.

The Register reports that the company Teva then acquired Allergan's opioid drugs, many of which contained fentanyl. It will pay a separate settlement amount of $4.25 billion. The settlement agreement with Iowa also includes other states including California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Other states will also have the option of joining the settlement.

The Register reports that Attorney General Miller is unsure of what Iowa's settlement total will be. In similar cases, Iowa has received just under 1% of the total, which in this case would mean some $60 million for the state.

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