Rx Summit 2022

Opioid Settlement: Protecting and Optimizing Proceeds

Monday, April 18, 2022

2:30 PM – 3:45 PM ET

Location: Grand Ballroom ED

Presenter(s)

Taleed El-Sabawi, JD, PhD, MS

Assistant Professor of Law
Elon University
Addiction & Public Policy Initiative, O'Neill Institute for Global and National Health Law, Georgetown Law
Greensboro, North Carolina
Shelly Weizman, JD

Associate Director, Addiction and Public Policy Initiative, and Adjunct Professor of Law
Georgetown University Law Center, O'Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law
Georgetown University Law Center
Washington, District of Columbia
Susan P. Weinstein, Esq.

President
Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association
Charlottesville, Virginia
Michael C. Barnes, Esq.

Chairman
Center for U.S. Policy
Member, Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit Advisory Board
Washington, District of Columbia

Moderator(s)

Michael C. Barnes, Esq.

Chairman
Center for U.S. Policy
Member, Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit Advisory Board
Washington, District of Columbia

Advocates have noted that in many jurisdictions funds from major tobacco litigation settlements were not used to prevent or treat tobacco addiction or its concomitant health harms. They have warned that if not adequately insulated, opioid litigation settlement money paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, and related parties for their roles in the opioid crisis could suffer the same fate.

This session will provide an overview of the state of opioid litigation and the efforts being taken by state and local governments to ensure that the proceeds will help prevent or treat substance use disorders and their adverse outcomes and support recovery. Presenters also will describe and share a model law that community leaders and policymakers can use to help advocate for the adoption of state laws to ensure that the litigation proceeds are used to prevent overdoses, treat substance use disorders, and support recovery. Speakers will identify resources to enable participants to learn about the status of opioid litigation in their states and localities. They will discuss ways advocates can provide input on the allocation of opioid litigation proceeds to address specific community needs. They will also provide recommendations to local government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and private organizations on how to access the funds and optimize their expenditure.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the context of the opioid litigation and lessons learned from the tobacco litigation settlement
Describe how states and counties are approaching the settlements and proceeds
Identify practical strategies for groups to advocate for state laws directing funding and to access funds