Corporate payouts in the opioid crisis are being finalized

Corporate¹ payouts in the opioid crisis are being finalized²

Transcript³

Companies embroiled⁴ in the opioid crisis are finalizing⁵ mega-settlements. They are expected to pay more than $30 billion to settle claims that they fueled the deadly addiction⁶ epidemic⁷.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Over the past two decades, the opioid crisis has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. And soon final settlements are expected with some of the biggest corporations accused of fueling the problem. Those settlements are expected to be worth roughly $32 billion and include controversial provisions, which we'll talk about. But the money could help a lot of people and communities struggling with addiction.

NPR's Brian Mann is our addiction correspondent, and he joins me this morning. Hey, Brian.

BRIAN MANN, BYLINE⁸: Hey. Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: Thirty-two billion dollars - I mean, that's objectively a lot of money. What kind of difference can it make, though?

MANN: Well, yeah. I think this is a game changer. Under the deals being finalized, the way they're structured, this money would be paid out over time over the next couple decades. So that means a new steady stream of funding for things like drug treatment and harm reduction programs. And that's going to save lives at a time when drug overdoses are continuing to kill record numbers of Americans. These numbers just keep rising. The sad part is, it's important to say, that experts tell me this is not nearly enough money. Thirty-two billion sounds like a lot, but it's a fraction of the cost of tackling the opioid epidemic. Taxpayers⁹ already carrying most of the burden here, paying for rehab programs, foster care and law enforcement. And that's not going to change because of these settlements.

MARTIN: Just remind us what these companies are accused of.

MANN: So opioid medications became big business - OxyContin, but lots of other types of opioids as well. And so drug-makers like Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson and then drug wholesalers like Cardinal¹⁰ Health and McKesson made huge profits selling these products. They're accused of pushing the use of these highly addictive¹¹ pain pills more aggressively than made medical sense, even as addiction rates rose. And they're also accused of not having enough safeguards in place to keep these products from being abused or diverted for sale on the street on black markets. It's important to say, in all of this, the companies deny any wrongdoing.

MARTIN: And which companies are close to deals right now?

MANN: So let's talk about two major deals that appear close to the finish line. One involves Purdue Pharma and its owners, members of the Sackler family. You'll remember they reached a deal last year worth about $4.5 billion, but a federal judge threw that out. Too many states and the U.S. Justice Department objected to a provision granting the Sackler immunity¹² from future lawsuits¹³. So closed-door talks quickly got underway again to try to get everyone on board with a new deal. And the big news now is the mediator¹⁴ is saying publicly the Sacklers have sweetened their offer. They're offering a total payout of roughly $6 billion. The mediator says there's been significant progress getting everyone on board, but they're not quite there yet.

MARTIN: So the Sacklers are offering more money. But have they changed their position on insisting that they be protected from future opioid lawsuits?

MANN: No. The Sacklers haven't budged¹⁵ from that demand, and that's why they need to get everybody on board. If this deal is finalized, they'll be sheltered from any future opioid lawsuits. We'll see if they get all the states to agree to that. One interesting development, Rachel, is that there are now growing calls, including from a group of U.S. senators - bipartisan senators - calling for criminal investigations¹⁶ into the Sacklers' role here. So far, no state or federal prosecutor¹⁷ has taken on that fight. And here again, important to say, the Sacklers deny any wrongdoing.

MARTIN: So that's Purdue Pharma. You said there were two major opioid deals close to being finalized. What's the second one?

MANN: Yeah. The other, actually, I expect to come sooner and to be bigger. Three huge drug distributors, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health and McKesson, along with Johnson & Johnson, have agreed in principle to pay roughly $26 billion to settle opioid claims. That deal could come as early as Friday.

MARTIN: And there are still civil trials involving pharmacies¹⁸, right?

MANN: Yeah, that's right - Walmart, CVS, Walgreens. A lot more of this litigation still to come. So while these settlements are big, the sort of resolution of this opioid crisis in courts will go on.

MARTIN: NPR addiction correspondent Brian Mann - thank you so much, Brian.

MANN: Thank you, Rachel.

1 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

2 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 embroiled   

adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的

参考例句：

• He became embroiled in a dispute with his neighbours. 他与邻居们发生了争执。
• John and Peter were quarrelling, but Mary refused to get embroiled. 约翰和彼得在争吵，但玛丽不愿卷入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网

6 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

7 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

10 cardinal   

n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的

参考例句：

• This is a matter of cardinal significance.这是非常重要的事。
• The Cardinal coloured with vexation. 红衣主教感到恼火，脸涨得通红。

11 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

12 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

13 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

14 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

15 budged   

v.（使）稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步

参考例句：

• Old Bosc had never budged an inch--he was totally indifferent. 老包斯克一直连动也没有动，他全然无所谓。 来自辞典例句
• Nobody budged you an inch. 别人一丁点儿都算计不了你。 来自辞典例句

16 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

17 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

18 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网