Major Drug Distributors In Talks To Settle Opioid Litigation For $18 Bln : WSJ

(RTTNews) - Three major drug distributors are in talks with State and local governments on a potential $18 billion settlement of litigation that blames them for fueling the U.S. opioid crisis, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter.

The three distributors — McKesson Corp., AmerisourceBergen Corp., and Cardinal Health Inc.— would collectively pay $18 billion over 18 years under the deal currently on the table, the Journal reported.

Johnson & Johnson is also involved in the discussions to pay extra money, the Journal reported.

Opioid addiction claimed about 400,000 lives in the United States from 1999 to 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.