A committee that's guiding OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy is suggesting other drugmakers, distributors and pharmacy chains use Purdue's bankruptcy proceedings to settle lawsuits seeking to hold the drug industry accountable for the national opioid crisis.
The committee says in a letter sent Sunday to the parties and obtained by The Associated Press that the country "is in the grips of a crisis that must be addressed, and that doing so may require creative approaches."
It's calling for all the companies to put money into a fund in exchange for having all their lawsuits resolved.
The proposal comes as narrower talks have not resulted in a settlement. Opening statements are to be held Monday in the first federal trial over the crisis.
