Murrieta Expected To Join 2 More National Opioid Settlements

MURRIETA, CA — Murrieta has previously joined in national litigation settlements linked to opioids, and it's expected to do so again.

During Tuesday's Murrieta City Council meeting, approval is expected on two resolutions that would authorize the city's participation in two such settlements: 1) Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family litigation, and 2) national prescription opiate litigation involving eight opioid manufacturers: Alvogen, Inc., Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Apotex Inc., Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Indivior Inc., Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Zydus Pharmaceuticals Inc.

The dollar amounts the companies and the Sacker family must pay are large. The first settlement is being implemented in connection with Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy proceedings. In 2019, the company, which was owned by the Sacker family, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in response to the thousands of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis.

Purdue Pharma manufactured OxyContin, a highly addictive painkiller at the center of the opioid crisis.

As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, it was agreed that the Sackler family would pay an aggregate of $6.5 billion in 16 payments over 15 years, including $1.5 billion on the settlement’s effective date (expected to be in 2026).

California state and local governments are scheduled to receive as much as $440 million of the payout, though cities and counties looking to receive funds must opt into the settlement by Sept. 30. Several local cities have already done so.

The second settlement is not tied to any bankruptcy matter. Instead, earlier this year, the eight opioid manufacturers named above reached a tentative settlement agreement with states. The deal calls for a total of approximately $1.1 billion in payouts to participants. California state and local governments are scheduled to receive as much as $70 million.

Cities and counties looking to receive a portion of that payout must opt into the settlement by Oct. 8, which several have already done.

Murrieta’s participation in these settlements will result in the city receiving a percentage of California's settlement funds.

It's not the first time that Murrieta City Council has authorized participation in national opioid settlements. In 2021 and 2024, the city council approved Murrieta’s participation in settlements involving multiple drug distributors and manufacturers.