$1.18 Billion Opioid Settlement Reached in New York as Addiction Treatment Centers Work to Repair the Damage Already Done

Cherry Hill, NJ - In mid-July, New York Attorney General Letitia James said that three of the largest pharmaceutical companies – Cardinal Health Inc, McKesson Corp, and AmerisourceBergen Corp – agreed to pay $1.18 billion in the case brought against them by New York State together with Suffolk and Nassau counties for their part in fueling the opioid epidemic.

James stated that the settlement will help to dampen the effects of the opioid epidemic and help to prevent future devastation, but that no amount of money will negate the effects that the opioid epidemic has had so far on countless communities.

The deal made by the three major pharmaceutical companies is not contingent on the national cases against big pharma or other states joining, according to the Nassau County lawyer, Hunter Shkolnik.

New York state, like much of the country, has been drastically impacted by the opioid epidemic. In 2018, New York suffered 2,991 deaths due to opioid overdose, a rate of 15.1 per 100,000 people. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl continue to drive the majority of opioid-related overdoses in New York with 2,195 of the overdose fatalities in 2018 being attributable to fentanyl.

From 2010 to 2017, the number of opioid overdose deaths in New York state rose by over 200 percent. Opioid prescriptions filled by New York providers for 2018 showed a significant statistic: 34 opioid prescriptions were written for every 100 people.

Legacy Healing Center – a leading addiction treatment center in Cherry Hill, NJ, and South Florida – commented on the settlement saying, “pharmaceutical companies are beginning to pay for their part in the opioid epidemic, but we still have a long road ahead of us in overcoming the opioid epidemic and its lasting impacts.”

Legacy Healing Center has been helping individuals and families affected by opioid use disorder in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and other surrounding areas of the Northeast, helping people find the path to long-term, sustainable recovery. Through comprehensive holistic addiction treatment programs, they continue to fight the opioid epidemic on the front lines and help to repair the damage that opioid addiction has caused individuals, families, and communities.

As more and more settlements are being reached and governments, communities, and addiction treatment centers work to help those currently battling opioid addiction, the end of the opioid epidemic may yet be in sight.

People who are facing the hardships of opioid addiction or any substance use disorder are encouraged to reach out to an accredited addiction treatment center like Legacy Healing Center. A treatment specialist can be reached anytime day or night at (888) 534-2295. Visit www.legacyhealing.com to learn more.