Eight opioid drug manufacturers will pay the District approximately $1.2 million as part of a nationwide settlement resolving allegations that these companies contributed to and exacerbated the national opioid crisis, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced on Monday.
Under the terms of the settlement, seven of the eight defendants — Alvogen, Amneal, Apotex, Hikima, Mylan, Sun, and Zydus — are prohibited from promoting or marketing opioids and opioid products; prohibited from making or selling any product that contains more than 40 mg of oxycodone per pill; and are required to reform their corporate practices. The eighth defendant, Indivior, is prohibited from manufacturing or selling any opioid products for the next 10 years.
“We will not stop until every corporation that illegally profited from the opioid crisis is held accountable,” Schwalb wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
To date, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said it has secured nearly $104 million from companies that contributed to the opioid epidemic.
Mylan will pay the District approximately $602,600, while Hikma will contribute about $188,800. Amneal is responsible for roughly $160,300, Apotex for $116,900, and Indivior for $71,100. Sun will pay about $56,900, Alvogen approximately $34,300, and Zydus about $27,200.
In total, these eight companies will pay $720 million to virtually every state and territory in the United States. In addition to these payments, several of the settlements allow states to receive free pharmaceutical products or cash instead of the products.
While the District is set to receive about $1.2 million, Virginia — with more than 8.8 million residents in comparison to D.C.’s more than 700,000 — could receive up to $16.4 million as part of these settlements.
“Though no settlement can erase the heartbreak and lives lost to the opioid crisis, I’m proud of my office for fighting to secure over $16 million to help Virginians heal, support recovery, and hold these companies accountable for the devastation they profited from,” said Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
Schwalb said that between 2021 and 2024, 1,740 people died from opioid overdoses in the District. He said the settlement is the latest development in OAG’s continuing efforts to address the opioid crisis, hold those responsible for it accountable, and secure relief for affected D.C. residents. To date, OAG reports that it has secured nearly $104 million for the District via settlements with drug manufacturers, distributors, and others for their roles in creating and profiting from the crisis.
The District’s Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission was established in 2022 to make recommendations for how to best use the anticipated $104 million in settlement funds to address the harm caused by the opioid epidemic. After five years of rising annual opioid fatalities in D.C., opioid deaths fell in 2024, when there were 344 opioid-related fatal overdoses, down from 516 the previous year. In the first quarter of 2025, there were 61 fatal opioid overdoses, a 33% decrease year-to-date from the prior year.
“Tragically, hundreds of D.C. residents continue to lose their lives every year to opioid overdoses, and far too many members of our community struggle with opioid addiction,” Schwalb stated. “This nationwide, bipartisan settlement holds companies accountable for putting profits over the health and well-being of D.C. residents and requires meaningful changes to their business practices so that this never happens again.”