Iowa has reached final agreements with opioid makers Teva Pharmaceuticals and Allergan for a combined $42.6 million, after settling with Walmart earlier this month.
The settlements will provide up to $6.6 billion nationally and include “critical business practice changes and transparency requirements,” according to a press release.
“We held Teva and Allergan accountable for deceptively marketing opioids and failing to maintain effective controls to prevent diversion,” said Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller in a press release. “And we will continue to ensure victims of this epidemic receive the help they need.”
Teva, an Israel-based drug manufacturer that makes Actiq and Fentora, will pay a maximum of $4.25 billion in cash over 13 years and $1.2 billion in generic naloxone over a 10-year period, or $240 million of cash in lieu of product. Naloxone is used to counteract overdoses.
States alleged that Teva promoted rapid-onset fentanyl products, deceptively marketed opiods and failed to comply with suspicious order monitoring requirements.
Ireland-based Allergan will pay up to $2.37 billion to governments over seven years. States said they deceptively marketed opiods and failed to maintain effective controls to prevent diversion of opiods.
On Nov. 15, Iowa was one of several states in a $3.1 billion settlement with Walmart. The settlement will provide more than $19.9 million to Iowa and require significant improvements in how Walmart’s pharmacies handle opiods, according to a release.
“This deal with Walmart adds to the important progress we’ve already achieved through our settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors,” said Mr. Miller. “As a result, meaningful resources will help people suffering from opioid addiction get the treatment and recovery services they need, and the changes to the way pharmacies operate will ensure that this never happens again.”
The AG office previously announced settlements with CVS and Walgreens, the then-most-recent settlements involving Iowa and the opiod crisis after a series of other settlements stretching back to 2021.
More information about treating Opiod Use Disorder can be found at the attorney general’s website.
Earlier this month, Iowa announced they will receive more than $6 million in a Google location tracking settlement, as well as announced settlements with Experian and T-Mobile.
