New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on April 7, 2025 that her office secured a multistate settlement in principle with pharmaceutical company Mylan Inc. (Mylan) that will deliver up to $335 million nationwide to help combat the opioid crisis. Mylan, which is now a part of Viatris, has manufactured and sold a variety of opioids since 2005, including generic fentanyl patches, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and buprenorphine products. The attorneys general allege Mylan deceptively promoted its products as less prone to abuse despite knowing for years that many of its opioid products – particularly its fentanyl patches – were actually more vulnerable to abuse. The company allegedly fueled the opioid crisis by marketing directly to doctors, leading to dangerous overprescribing and diversion of its opioids into the illegal drug market. Under the multistate settlement in principle, Mylan will pay up to $335 million to participating states over nine years.
The settlement in principle was negotiated by Attorney General James and the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia in coordination with the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, and Vermont.
New York Attorney General James stated in announcing the settlement, “When drug companies put profits over people, innocent patients can get sucked into deadly cycles of addiction and overdoses. Mylan deceptively marketed its opioid products as safe, despite knowing they would be abused and sold illegally. 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.”
Fifteen states that will receive a portion of the $335 million to help abate the ongoing public health crisis over the next nine years. The states joining the settlement are California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.
Mylan
Mylan (which was originally named “Milan”) was founded in 1961 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and was named after co-founder Milan “Mike” Puskar, who bought finished dose medicines and resold them from the trunk of a Pontiac Bonneville to rural pharmacies and physicians throughout the Appalachian region of the U.S. Later, manufacturing operations began in Morgantown, West Virginia. In 1972, Milan changed its name to Mylan Laboratories. In 2015, Mylan purchased of Abbott’s branded specialty and generics lines in the world’s developed markets, and in 2016, purchased Renaissance and Meda, and in 2017, purchased Apicore. In 2020, Viatris was formed by combining Mylan and Upjohn.
If you or a loved one may have been injured due to medical negligence involving opioids, you should promptly consult with a medical malpractice attorney in your U.S. state who may investigate your opioid malpractice claim for you and represent you or your loved one in an opioid medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
Visit our website to be connected with medical malpractice lawyers near you who may assist you with your opioid claim, or call us toll free at 800-295-3959.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.
