by Sarah Roderick-Fitch
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (pictured above) announced a $102.5 million settlement with the makers of Suboxone for alleged illegal monopoly tactics, for which the commonwealth will receive more than $2.3 million.
The settlement stems from a complaint filed against Indivior Inc., the maker of Suboxone, alleging the pharmaceutical company used “illegal means” to switch the Suboxone market from tablets to film. The suit says the company attempted to destroy the market for tablets in an effort to preserve its drug monopoly.
The drug Suboxone is prescribed to decrease the severity of withdrawal symptoms from opioids, as well as reduce long-term dependence.
Miyares underscored his office’s “relentless” pursuit of holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for “their role” in the opioid epidemic. To date, Virginia is expected to receive more than $500 million in opioid settlements.
“It is no secret that Virginia has been and continues to be hit hard from the opioid epidemic. My office has been relentless in holding big pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role,” said Miyares.
The attorney general stressed the importance of holding companies accountable.
“It is not just companies producing opioids that are trying to benefit from Virginians’ suffering,” Miyares said. “Indivior attempted to monopolize suboxone – a drug used to treat opioid addiction – to continue to line their own pockets. It’s wrong, and I’m glad we were able to put a stop to it.”
In addition to the $102.5 million settlement, the company will be required to comply with “negotiated injunctive terms that include disclosures to the States of all citizen petitions to the FDA, introduction of new products, or if there is a change in corporate control, which will help the States ensure that Indivior refrains from engaging in the same kind of conduct alleged in the complaint,” according to a statement from Miyares’ office.
The Center Square reached out to Miyares’ office to inquire how the commonwealth plans to utilize the funds acquired in the settlement but has yet to receive a response at publication.
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Sarah Roderick-Fitch is The Center Square’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Editor. She has previously worked as an editor, and has been a contributing writer for several publications. In addition to writing and editing, Sarah spent nearly a decade working for non-profit, public policy organizations in the Washington, DC area.
Photo “Jason Miyares” by Jason Miyares.
