Connecticut is poised to receive up to $8.4 million from a new round of national opioid settlements totaling $720 million, Attorney General William Tong announced this week. The funds stem from agreements with eight drug manufacturers accused of exacerbating the opioid crisis by aggressively marketing and distributing highly addictive painkillers.
“Each of these eight drug makers callously profited off the rampant overprescribing and misuse of dangerously addictive opioids. These latest settlements—totaling $720 million—are yet another downpayment on our promise to hold the entire addiction industry accountable for the ongoing pain and devastation they have caused. As with the $600 million already secured for Connecticut alone, these funds will be used to save lives through treatment and prevention across our state,” said Attorney General Tong.
Connecticut has already secured $600 million in previous opioid settlements. The state’s Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee has approved $110 million in funding recommendations, supporting harm reduction, naloxone distribution, mobile treatment vans, and a $58 million Housing as Recovery initiative. The state saw a 26% decline in overdose deaths in 2024.
"It is surely a credit to Attorney General Tong and his team that we continue to hold these companies accountable and bring necessary resources to the state to remediate the harms of the opioid crisis and create a path forward," said Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Nancy Navarretta. "Thus far, the Connecticut Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee has passed 19 funding recommendations totaling just over $110 million, which has included immediate needs for harm reduction, prevention, and the naloxone saturation plan, but also longer-term investments in mobile opioid treatment vans and $58 million committed to an extensive Housing as Recovery plan. These investments, as well as many others, would not have been possible without these settlement funds and while we saw a 26% decline in overdose deaths in 2024, there is still more work to do and these new settlements will make a tangible difference in the lives of many."
The eight companies involved in this latest settlement include Mylan ($284M), Hikma ($95M), Amneal ($71M), Apotex ($63M), Indivior ($38M), Sun ($30M), Alvogen ($18M), and Zydus ($14M). Most are prohibited from promoting opioids and must monitor for suspicious orders. Indivior agreed to stop producing opioids for 10 years, though it can continue offering treatment medications.
Connecticut continues to lead nationally in securing and deploying opioid settlement funds, aiming to turn legal accountability into lasting public health impact.
