As an innocent bystander, I read the New York Times article by Michael Forsythe and Walt Bogdanich where McKinsey & Company, a consulting firm for the firmly and well-known companies and governments, has agreed to pay $573 million for its role in assisting the pushing of opioids. The agreement filed in Massachusetts included 47 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories. According to the article, states will use the money, $478 million of it, for “opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery programs.” Does that mean the worthy organizations trying to fight this epidemic will receive notice from the states the money is available? Who will oversee the distribution?
Maybe not.
The Dispatch reporter Marc Kovach wrote in an article today (February 4) that Ohio will receive $24.7 million. “Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said the funds will be directed to the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, an effort announced about a year ago to enable the state and participating counties and cities to jointly pursue legal damages against drug manufacturers and others.” He also said, “With consultation from Gov. DeWine, the plan is to lead by example and put the lion’s share of this money into the OneOhio Recovery Foundation so it can be put to work across Ohio.” These quotes don’t say it will go to assist victims. It implies it will stay with the OneOhio Recovery Foundation and its attorneys.
Purdue Pharma in October did agree to pay billions of dollars for its aggressive marketing of OxyContin but then declared bankruptcy. No state has seen any of the money and will wait as creditors are in limbo.
The Sackler family, who in 2016 was considered the 19th most prosperous family in the United States by Forbes, made most of their money on OxyContin, agreed to pay $225 million from their net worth of 13 billion in civil penalties to the federal government. Again, where will this money go? Will it somehow filter to the poor souls suffering from Substance Abuse Disorder (SAD) victims, or in education to prevent future victims?
Again, maybe not.
McKensey & Co. settlement, OneOhio Recovery Foundation, Substance Abuse Disorder