Proposed $26 Billion Deal Would End Thousands of Opioid Lawsuits

A large drug company and three major drug distributors have proposed a $26 billion deal with state and local governments that sued them for their role in the opioid crisis. If the deal is finalized, the companies would be shielded from future opioid-related lawsuits by these governments, The New York Times reports.

Lawyers familiar with the negotiations told the newspaper that at least 45 states view the terms of the deal positively.

The drug manufacturer involved in the proposed deal is Johnson & Johnson. The drug distributors are McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen. Last year, the companies made an offer that was $4 billion less than the current deal. That offer was rejected by many local governments, the article notes. The funds from the deal would help pay for addiction treatment and prevention programs in communities impacted by the opioid crisis.

Other drug makers and national pharmacy chains still face thousands of lawsuits related to opioids.