"McKinsey Settles for $78M in Opioid Case with US Health Plans"

Consulting firm McKinsey & Co has agreed to a $78 million settlement with U.S. health insurers and benefit plans over allegations of exacerbating the opioid crisis through its marketing strategies for drug companies, including Purdue Pharma. This settlement adds to McKinsey's previous payouts, totaling over $871 million, to various plaintiffs including state attorneys general and local governments. McKinsey maintains that its past work was lawful and has ceased advising on opioid-related business since 2019. The settlement is part of broader litigation that has seen over $50 billion in settlements related to the opioid epidemic in the U.S.