BOISE, Idaho — Idaho is set to receive a piece of a $573 million settlement in a lawsuit over a consulting firm's promotion of addictive pain pills that helped fuel the opioid epidemic.
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden was among a group of attorneys general from 47 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories to bring legal action against McKinsey & Company.
Idaho's share of the settlement is $2,894,912. According to the AG's Office, this is the first multi-state opioid settlement that ended with a significant payment to states to fight the opioid epidemic.
The state's cut of the settlement will be distributed in five payments, and will be used to fight the opiate crisis.
As part of the agreement, McKinsey & Company will publish thousands of internal documents that detail the firm's work for Purdue Pharma - the maker of OxyContin - and other opioid companies
"Today's settlement will bring nearly $3 million to Idaho to help our state continue to deal with the far-reaching effects of opioids," Wasden said. "This is a positive step but there are more companies to hold accountable. I will continue working with my fellow state attorneys general to do just that."
Lawsuits involving Idaho against Purdue and people involved in opiate-making companies are still ongoing.
