The opioid epidemic is a complex problem with no simple or ideal solution. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 47,600 Americans died from opioid-related overdoses in 2017. One study published earlier this year by Massachusetts General Hospital estimates that 700,000 Americans will die from opioid overdoses between 2016 and 2025. That's nearly double the number of U.S. combat deaths in World War II.
In addition to the human toll, responding to and combating the health crisis has come at a steep financial cost to the country, measured in tens of billions of dollars. Attorneys from dozens of U.S. cities and states have sued drug companies and drug distributors to pay up for their roles in fueling the epidemic, ideally as soon as possible. There are more than 2,000 opioid-related lawsuits pending across the nation.
After a closely watched case in Ohio ended with a $260 million settlement -- and avoided becoming the first opioid-related litigation to go federal court -- there's renewed hope for a global settlement spanning the entire U.S. using the same formula from the Ohio settlement, a global settlement -- meaning it would conclude all outstanding lawsuits in the U.S. -- could reach a total value of $48 billion, composed largely of donated drugs used to treat opioid addiction. Here's what investors need to know about the latest developments.