Attorney General James Secures Over $270 Million Multistate Settlement in Principle with Amneal Pharmaceuticals for Its Role in the Opioid Crisis

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a multistate settlement in principle with opioid manufacturer Amneal Pharmaceuticals (Amneal) for its role in fueling the nationwide epidemic of opioid addictions and overdoses. Amneal produces several generic opioid products and was one of the largest manufacturers of opioids from 2006 to 2019, selling nearly nine billion pills. Attorney General James and a multistate coalition of attorneys general allege that Amneal knowingly failed to monitor and report suspicious orders placed by its customers, as it was required to by federal law. 

“Amneal became one of the largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world by profiting off the sale of dangerous opioids,” said Attorney General James. “While this settlement can’t fully reverse the damage done as a result of the national crisis, it will provide essential funding and resources for New York and other states to ensure those suffering get the help they need. I am proud to have secured over $2.7 billion to tackle the opioid epidemic in New York, and my office will continue to hold accountable the companies responsible for fueling this crisis.” 

The settlement in principle announced today will provide $92.5 million in cash over 10 years and $180 million worth of naloxone nasal spray, an overdose treatment medication, to participating states and local governments. 

The settlement in principle was negotiated by Attorney General James and the attorneys general of California, Delaware, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. 

In 2019, Attorney General James filed the nation’s most extensive lawsuit against opioid distributors and manufacturers for their role in the opioid epidemic. Since then, Attorney General James has recovered more than $2.7 billion to support New York opioid abatement, treatment, and prevention efforts from companies including Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Publicis Health, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt, Allergan, Endo, McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Amerisource Bergen. Attorney General James has also led multistate coalitions in reaching settlements for billions of dollars with CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart for their role in failing to properly regulate opioid prescriptions. Additionally, Attorney General James, co-led a coalition of nearly every attorney general in the nation in delivering more than $573 million — more than $32 million of which was earmarked for New York state — toward opioid treatment and abatement in an agreement and consent judgment with McKinsey & Company.

This settlement with Amneal was negotiated on behalf of New York by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy and Assistant Attorney General Matthew Conrad of the Executive Division, with assistance from Data Scientist Ken Morales and Acting Deputy Director of Research and Analytics Gautam Sisodia of the Research and Analytics Department, Assistant Attorney General Eve Woodin of the Health Care Bureau, and Special Counsel Monica Hanna of the Executive Division.