$12B opioids settlement won’t fix areas hardest hit, analysis says

A new analysis finds that money from a tentative settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma will be “no more than a stopgap” for state and local governments struggling to combat the opioid epidemic.

Purdue became the first company being sued over the toll of opioids to reach a tentative nationwide settlement. If approved, it could be worth up to $12 billion over time, although critics expect it would be much less.

In a report released Wednesday, Moody’s Investors Service found the deal would help state and local governments but likely would not reverse the social or economic problems caused by opioid addiction, especially in the hardest-hit areas.

It’s up to a bankruptcy judge to approve the deal. Two dozen state attorneys general have said they won’t sign on.