Purdue Pharma Reaches Deal

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma has reached a nationwide settlement of opioid lawsuits. The deal reached Thursday would require members of the Sackler family who own the drugmaker to pay as much as $6 billion in cash. That’s at least $1 billion more than previously agreed on. In exchange, they’ll be protected from civil lawsuits. The Sacklers also issued a statement of regret. The company, family, most states and other groups had reached a deal last year, but some states opposed it because they say it didn’t do enough to hold the Sacklers accountable. A judge rejected it on appeal, kicking off negotiations that ultimately led to Thursday’s settlement.