Viatris to Pay Up to $335 Million Over Nine Years to Settle Opioid Claims

Viatris has agreed to pay up to $335 million over a nine-year period as part of a nationwide settlement addressing claims from U.S. state and local governments regarding the company’s alleged role in the opioid crisis. The Pennsylvania-based pharmaceutical firm, established through the 2020 merger of Mylan and Pfizer’s Upjohn division, has not admitted to any wrongdoing in connection with this agreement. 

Under the terms of the settlement, Viatris will contribute between $27.5 million and $40 million annually to support state and local opioid initiatives. New York Attorney General Letitia James, a key figure in the negotiation process, emphasized the importance of this settlement, stating, “While no settlement can fully repair the damage caused by dangerous opioids, these funds will help New York and other states fight the opioid crisis.” 

Viatris markets opioid products, including the painkiller Ultiva and the Fentanyl Transdermal System, a generic version of Johnson & Johnson’s Duragesic patch. The company is among several pharmaceutical manufacturers accused by state and local governments of downplaying the risks associated with opioid medications. 

This settlement contributes to the more than $50 billion already secured from various drugmakers, distributors, and pharmacies implicated in the opioid epidemic. Notably, in January, Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, reached a $7.4 billion settlement to resolve numerous lawsuits related to their pain medication OxyContin, which has been widely blamed for initiating the crisis. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioid-related overdoses claimed over 80,000 lives in 2023, contributing to a total of 700,000 deaths over the past two decades.

This settlement underscores the ongoing efforts to address the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their roles in the crisis.