(Reuters) – Washington has reached a $ 518 million deal with drug distributors McKesson Corp., AmerisourceBergen Corp. and Cardinal Health, which concludes a month-long trial over the companies’ alleged role in inciting the opioid epidemic in the state, the three companies announced on Tuesday.
McKesson will pay $ 197 million, while AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal will pay $ 160.5 million each.
Washington opted out of a $ 26 billion nationwide opioid deal involving the three drug distributors and Johnson & Johnson. It would have received up to $ 417.9 million from McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen during the deal, which was completed in February.
The settlement is one of the largest in the state of Washington̵
7;s history, Washington’s Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a press release.“We could have joined the overwhelming majority of states and made a deal with the largest opioid distributors, but we chose to fight them in court instead,” said Justice Ferguson. “That decision to take them to court will result in significant additional resources for Washington to fight the opioid epidemic.” The state had accused drug distributors of failing to prevent prescription pills from being diverted for illegal use during a trial that began in November before King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott in Seattle. Washington had sought $ 38.2 billion to fund treatment.
The distributors, who deny the crime, said the deal would provide meaningful relief to communities affected by the opioid epidemic in the United States.
Opioid overdoses have caused more than 500,000 deaths in the United States over the past two decades, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Washington was among a handful of states that opted out of the $ 26 billion national opioid deal, along with Alabama and Oklahoma. New Hampshire settled with the three drug distributors but not J&J, while West Virginia was not part of the national agreement due to a previous agreement between the state and the three drug distributors.
Alabama recently reached a separate $ 276 million settlement with McKesson, J&J and Endo International PLC on April 18, and avoided a lawsuit that would continue against McKesson that day.
West Virginia settled $ 99 million in state opioid claims against J&J on April 20. West Virginia counties are still suing McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health.
Florida and West Virginia are currently in the middle of opioid trials against other defendants. Florida is suing the Walgreens Boots Alliance, while West Virginia is suing Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and AbbVies Allergan.
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