Attorney General Letitia James has secured a major settlement with pharmaceutical company Mylan Inc., marking the latest in a series of high-stakes deals aimed at holding opioid manufacturers accountable for their role in a national addiction crisis.
The agreement, announced Monday, would deliver up to $335 million to states across the country over nine years. Mylan, now part of Viatris, has sold a range of opioid medications since 2005, including generic fentanyl patches and pills containing oxycodone, hydrocodone, and buprenorphine.
“Mylan deceptively marketed its opioid products as safe, despite knowing they would be abused and sold illegally,” James said in a statement. “While no settlement can fully repair the damage caused by dangerous opioids, these funds will help New York and other states fight the opioid crisis.”
The settlement stems from allegations that Mylan misled doctors and the public about the safety of its products. Attorneys general from several states say the company falsely promoted its opioids—particularly fentanyl patches—as less likely to be abused, even though internal knowledge suggested otherwise. Prosecutors argue this marketing strategy contributed to overprescribing and the diversion of painkillers into the illegal drug market.
The multistate agreement was negotiated by James along with attorneys general from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia, with support from colleagues in Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, and Vermont.
James has become a national leader in legal efforts against opioid manufacturers and distributors. Her office has now secured more than $3 billion for New York’s opioid abatement, treatment, and prevention initiatives. That total includes settlements with major players like Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, and AmerisourceBergen, as well as retail giants CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart. Settlements have also been reached with consulting firms McKinsey & Company and Publicis Health for their roles in promoting opioid sales.
The Mylan settlement was negotiated on behalf of New York by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy, Special Counsel Monica Hanna, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Conrad, and Data Scientist Ken Morales.
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