By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oregon, one of the last holdout states in joining a $26 billion settlement with the three largest distributors of opioids and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, is on the verge of signing on, the state’s attorney general said Monday.
The state had argued with cities and counties over disbursement of Oregon’s expected $329 million share and how much should go to attorneys fees. But agreement is now “imminent,” said Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.
The settlement, which would be the second-biggest in U.S. history, would address damage wrought by opioids.
As of just over one week ago, at least 45 states had signed onto the settlement or signaled their intent to, and at least 4,012 counties and cities had confirmed participation, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys.
The three drug distributors — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — and Johnson & Johnson agreed in July to pay the combined $26 billion to resolve thousands of state and local government lawsuits. But if the defendants feel there’s a lack of participation by states and local jurisdictions, it could cause them to back away from the landmark agreement, or eventually reduce the settlement amount.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers, who have been working the settlement on the national level and urging cities, counties and states to sign on, applauded the breakthrough in Oregon.
“As more communities join in from each state, the greater the funds these communities will receive,” lawyer Joe Rice said Monday. “This national settlement is the most efficient way to bring urgently needed resources into communities, with funds being delivered as early as April 2022.”
