Oklahoma reaches $250 mln opioid settlement with drug distributors

June 27 (Reuters) – Oklahoma has reached a $250 million settlement with AmerisourceBergen Corp (ABC.N), Cardinal Well being Inc (CAH.N) and McKesson Corp (MCK.N) to resolve allegations the drug distributors contributed to the opioid epidemic within the state, Oklahoma Lawyer Common John O’Connor mentioned on Monday.

O’Connor mentioned Oklahoma recovered more cash from the distributors than the state would have acquired if it had joined a nationwide $26 billion settlement that was introduced final yr.

The nationwide settlement additionally contains Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N). Oklahoma sued J&J individually however in November the case was thrown out on attraction, negating a $465 million trial judgment the state gained and undermining Oklahoma’s authorized theories in its opioid litigation.

The businesses didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Oklahoma was the final state nonetheless pursuing litigation associated to opioids towards the three distributors. Alabama remains to be suing Cardinal Well being and AmerisourceBergen after settling with McKesson. Native governments in West Virginia are pursuing instances after the state settled.

Oklahoma will use not less than 85% of the funds to assist abate the opioid habit disaster within the state, in line with O’Connor.

The distributors have denied wrongdoing within the epidemic, which has brought about greater than 500,000 U.S. overdose deaths throughout the previous twenty years, in line with authorities knowledge.

Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Dietrich Knauth in New York; modifying by Grant McCool

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