Press Release

Alaska Attorney General Applauds $1.6 Billion Global Settlement with Opioid Manufacturer

February 26, 2020

(Anchorage, AK) – Alaska Attorney General Kevin G. Clarkson applauds the global settlement agreement between state attorneys general and Mallinckrodt (MNK), its subsidiaries, and certain other affiliates. MNK is currently the largest generic opioid manufacturer in the United States. In the agreement, MNK agrees to pay $1.6 billion to a trust to cover the costs of opioid addiction treatment and related efforts, with the potential for increased payment to the trust. MNK also agrees that its future generics opioid business will be subject to stringent restrictions.

Opioids are a family of drugs including prescription painkillers and illegal drugs like heroin. Nationwide, prescription and illegal opioids are the main cause of drug overdose deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids were involved in more than 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017. From 1999 to 2017, more than 702,000 people have died from a drug overdose.

“This agreement with MNK is just one example of the solutions needed in our fight against the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Clarkson.   “Our focus is not only on accountability, but also obtaining the resources we need to get victims of this epidemic the help they deserve. This agreement is a significant step in the right direction.”

The State of Alaska has also independently sued Purdue Pharma and MNK.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.