TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Attorney General Ashley Moody has confirmed Florida is in settlement talks with opioid drug maker Purdue Pharma.
The move comes as thousands of governments, including the state of Florida and many Tampa Bay area cities and counties, sue Purdue for its role in the nation's opioid crisis.
RELATED: Local governments file lawsuit against the family behind OxyContin
In a statement, Moody said Florida has negotiated a "historic, multibillion-dollar agreement in principle." Meaning - this is not a done deal yet.
Florida is among a group of states and local governments reportedly looking to cut a deal with Purdue Pharma. It's unclear how much of the settlement money could go to Florida versus other states.
"Sadly, this agreement cannot bring back those who have lost their lives to opioid abuse, but it will help Florida gain access to more life-saving resources and bolster our efforts to end this deadly epidemic. I want to assure Floridians that we will continue to aggressively pursue our state case against all remaining defendants," Moody said in a statement.
Florida is still suing a number of other drug makers and distributors.
RELATED: State, drugmaker attorneys meet for first hearing in Florida opioid lawsuit
In February Mood said, "My office will dedicate every necessary resource to make sure that we can get to trial in an expeditious fashion. We're hoping to get there by May of next year."
Thursday, Moody's office said the timeline will likely be later now.
