Three major drug distributors—McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen—and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson this month reached a proposed $26 billion multistate agreement for their alleged roles in fueling the nationwide opioid epidemic. Equally significant to the monetary penalties are the compliance lessons the settlement imparts on the pharmaceutical industry at large.
Under the monetary terms of the agreement—contingent upon the number of state and local governments that elect to opt into it over the next several months—the distributors agree to collectively pay up to $21 billion over the next 18 years. McKesson will pay up to $7.9 billion, while Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen each will pay up to $6.4 billion. Johnson & Johnson will contribute up to $5 billion over the next nine years. Most of the funds are earmarked for opioid treatment and prevention efforts.
