Pharmalittle: Opioid settlements may yield tax breaks for drug makers; EMA probes heartburn meds for carcinogens

And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda will largely encompass spending time with our tallest short person and stopping by what we think of as our natural habitat. And what about you? This is a fine time of year to start picking apples or taking long drives in the country. You could stock up on sweaters and winterize your castle. Or you could buy a sharpie and practice rewriting history. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon…

Some of the settlements in opioids lawsuits that were filed against drug makers appear to have been negotiated to take advantage of an exception, ambiguities, and weaknesses in federal tax law that allows the companies to take tax deductions, USA Today reports. In three agreements reached earlier this year, the companies did not acknowledge any wrongdoing and payments were made to foundations. Tax law experts say the settlements appear to be structured in ways that could enable write-offs at least part of the payments on their taxes.

To ensure a full accounting of the origins of the prescription opioid crisis, a group of historians is asking that any settlement in the massive opioid litigation require all collected documents be preserved and made public, according to STAT. In a court filing, the experts called for “full and permanent access to the records” for scholars, policymakers, journalists, and the public, and for the defendants to cover the costs of creating an archive.

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