June 17, 2025
Salt Lake City, Utah—Utah and all 54 other eligible jurisdictions agreed to sign onto a settlement agreement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family over their significant role in fueling the opioid epidemic. This monumental agreement, totaling $7.4 billion, marks a critical step towards accountability, with Utah slated to receive $57 million to combat the devastating impact of the crisis on its communities. This outcome is a direct result of the persistent efforts of the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection and the Office of the Utah Attorney General (OAG) to hold the Sacklers accountable.
Purdue Pharma, with the Sackler family at its helm, manufactured opioid medications like OxyContin and aggressively marketed them as safe, despite possessing knowledge of their highly addictive nature. This deceptive campaign led to a deadly surge in opioid prescriptions nationwide and within Utah.
In 2019, the Division of Consumer Protection (DCP), represented by the OAG, filed an administrative action against Purdue Pharma, Richard Sackler, and Kathe Sackler, alleging they participated in these deceptive practices. DCP also alleged that Purdue Pharma intensified the crisis in Utah by providing nearly $200,000 in gifts and payments to Utah prescribers between 2013 and 2017 and employing 186 sales representatives who conducted in-person marketing visits to 5,000 prescribers.
Utah has been at the forefront of efforts to hold Purdue and the Sacklers accountable and was only months away from an administrative trial when Purdue filed for bankruptcy. Despite the complex bankruptcy proceedings that spanned years, DCP and OAG steadfastly preserved and pursued their allegations, with the OAG working shoulder to shoulder with other attorneys general across the country, pursuing legal claims and negotiating tirelessly.
“Utah families deserve this resolution after Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family recklessly harmed our communities and contributed to the opioid epidemic,” said Utah Attorney General Derek Brown. “I will continue to use all the tools I have available, including litigation and prosecution, to protect Utahns in the future from these deadly drugs.”
Under the terms of this comprehensive settlement, the Sackler family will pay $6.5 billion over the next 15 years, with approximately $900 million coming from Purdue Pharma upon its emergence from bankruptcy protection. Critically, the agreement ends the Sacklers’ control of Purdue Pharma and restricts its sale of opioids in the United States. Purdue Pharma’s future lobbying and marketing efforts will also be limited and monitored.
“Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family caused immense harm and innumerable lives lost through their deceptive marketing and greed,” said Margaret Woolley Busse, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce. “Utah never stopped its work to hold Purdue and the Sacklers accountable for what they have done and the devastation they have caused”.
The $57 million Utah will receive from this settlement will be crucial resources for the state and local communities to mitigate the ongoing impact of the opioid epidemic on Utahns. This is in addition to the $540 million the state will receive from other previously agreed-upon settlements, with $275 million designated for the state and $265 million for counties. These funds will support the Utah Opioid Task Force and continue addressing the epidemic in communities.
The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on Utah. Between 2002 and 2015, opioid prescriptions surged by over one million. From 2013 to 2015, Utah ranked 7th in prescription drug poisoning deaths. According to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, prescription opioids were responsible for the deaths of 1,611 people in the state between 2014 and 2019. The most recent data from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services reports 606 drug overdose deaths in 2023, with 27.9% involving at least one prescription opioid, and many of these tragically stemming from heroin and fentanyl overdoses that began with prescription opioid abuse. The American Enterprise Institute estimated non-fatal opioid costs to the state at $1,827 per person, totaling around $524 million for a single year in 2015.
The OAG and DCP’s work to combat this vicious epidemic is not over. Both the OAG and DCP have also secured previous settlement agreements with major corporations, including Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger, CVS, Publicis Health, McKinsey, Cardinal, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan, Teva, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Mallinckrodt. In December 2024, the OAG and DCP filed their most recent litigation against pharmacy benefit managers, who played a secretive role as intermediaries in the opioid crisis.
Additional information about the Division of Consumer Protection and how to file complaints can be found at https://dcp.utah.gov/.
| The Utah Division of Consumer Protection is one of ten agencies within the Utah Department of Commerce. Its mission is to strengthen trust in Utah’s commercial activities by protecting consumers through education and impartial enforcement. The Division administers more than 25 Utah state laws designed to protect consumers, including those related to telephone solicitations. The Division’s enforcement actions are supported and often represented by the Office of the Utah Attorney General, ensuring comprehensive measures to safeguard the rights and safety of consumers throughout Utah. For additional details or to file a complaint, please visit https://dcp.utah.gov/. |