MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan said Thursday the state did not sign on to a proposed bankruptcy plan stemming from a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, about its role in the nationwide opioid crisis.
Vermont is one of nine states and the District of Colombia that does not support the plan.
“Through this bankruptcy plan, the Sacklers are leveraging their enormous wealth to obtain the protection of the bankruptcy court by having the court extinguish the states’ claims against the Sacklers,” Donovan said in a statement. “At the end of the bankruptcy, the Sacklers will keep billions of dollars in wealth made from the opioid crisis.”
The agreement announced Thursday would have Purdue Pharma reorganize into a new entity that helps combat the U.S. opioid epidemic.
In all, Sackler family members are contributing more than $4 billion for prevention, treatment and recovery efforts from opioid addiction across the country. The Sacklers are not admitting any wrongdoing and no court has found any by a family member.
Purdue said in a statement that it will try to build “even greater consensus” for its plan.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.