BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York State's Attorney General's Office said a company accused of adding fuel to the fire must pay more than half a billion dollars following a major settlement in the fight against drug addiction.
The office secured $523 million from Teva Pharmaceuticals, a company that the office said contributed to the opioid crisis.
Avi Isreal, president and CEO of Save the Michaels of the World, Inc., also sits on the state's opioid settlement board.
"Another pharmaceutical company that was selling a lie to the public," he said.
He is calling this announcement helpful in the fight against this crisis.
"It's not going to bring anybody back to life, however, it's going to help thousands and thousands of New Yorkers get the treatment that they need," he added.
For Israel, this settlement in personal. His son Michael died 11 years ago after losing his fight against an opioid addiction.
"With my son it was not a choice to get addicted he was prescribed into addiction and we could not 11 years ago we could not get help at all for him," Israel said.
Now the money from the settlement will be added to the state's pool of more than $2 billion tonight the opioid crisis and will be spent over the next 18 year helping center's like Horizon Health.
"This money is on you know it's on the lives that we've lost," Anne Constantino, president and CEO of Horizon Health, said.
She is calling this settlement a chance to be a game changer.
"I think it gives us an opportunity to really build on the strengths on what's in place and to add in the pieces that are missing," Constantino added.
According to a recent release from the New York State Office of the Comptroller, New York drug overdose deaths surged during the pandemic, increasing by 68 percent between 2019 and 2021. So, a settlement like this, will give hope that change is coming.
"I've always been optimistic doing this business and I see people get better every day, so I know that this will just continue to add to the strength that we have to combat addiction," Constantino said.
