The deal, which has yet to be approved by a bankruptcy judge, still provides some immunity for members of the Sackler family but raises the amount they agree to pay.

A previous version of the plan, approved in September, had the overwhelming support of the company's creditors as well as more than 40 US states.

But nine states had decided to appeal.

The agreement, they argued, did not allow the victims to be heard and possibly file civil suits against the Sacklers.

Family members can still be subject to criminal prosecution.

To overcome the reluctance of these States, the Sackler family finally agreed to pay at least 5.5 billion dollars and up to 6 billion depending on the sale of the laboratory's activities abroad.

It had so far offered to pay 4.3 billion, in addition to 225 million already paid to the Ministry of Justice.

The finalization of the agreement should make it possible to start the first payments.

Purdue's aggressive promotion of the painkiller OxyContin, pushed by the Sackler family who knew it was highly addictive, is seen by many as the trigger for the opiate crisis.

The Purdue laboratory had declared itself insolvent in September 2019, proposing a bankruptcy plan to settle the avalanche of litigation against it and agreeing to plead guilty.

The bankruptcy plan provides for the Purdue business itself to close its doors by 2024 in the United States in favor of a new entity managed by a trust.

In addition to selling OxyContin for "legitimate" purposes, it must provide, free or at cost, anti-overdose medication and opioid addiction treatment.

A US judge struck down the plan in December, ruling that the bankruptcy judge who approved the deal in September lacked the authority to prevent future civil lawsuits against the family members.

© 2022 AFP