Supreme Court rejects opioid settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family, which owns the drug company, from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids.

The settlement also would have billions of dollars to combat the opioid epidemic, according to the Associated Press.

The high court made the decision in a 5-4 vote.

The justices blocked an agreement reached with state and local governments and victims. The agreement required the Sacklers to contribute as much as $6 billion and given up ownership, but members still would have been allowed to retained billions more, the wire service also reports.