| Hans-Günter Meyer-Thompson | Legal
USA. Why the Real Victims of the Opioid Crisis—Like Drug-Dependent Babies—May Not Get Much of the Settlement Money
USA. Why the Real Victims of the Opioid Crisis—Like Drug-Dependent Babies—May Not Get Much of the Settlement Money
Every 15 minutes, a child is born dependent on opioids — a condition known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). (…)
The opioid manufacturers that fueled this ongoing epidemic, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, will soon pay billions of dollars to settle the claims of parents, grandparents and guardians who either lost loved ones or care for children with NAS. It’s critical to direct most of these funds to victims, including innocent newborns. Unfortunately, if recent opioid and tobacco settlements are any indication, victims and their loved ones may never see a dime. (Time, USA, 28.02.2020)