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Johnson & Johnson has added $1 billion to a $4 billion settlement deal from last year resolving claims in an opioid crisis lawsuit.
The additional contribution is not an admission of liability and instead “results from continued negotiations and is intended to maximize participation in the settlement,” the pharmaceutical company said Tuesday, according to The Hill. With the addition of $1 billion, Johnson & Johnson has upped its participation in the settlement to a total of $5 billion.
Johnson & Johnson’s settlement payment is part of a larger $48 billion deal between four states and four other companies.
Drug distributer McKesson has agreed to pay $6.68 billion over 18 years. Amerisource Bergen and Cardinal Health each will pay around $5.6 billion over 18 years. Drug maker Teva Pharmaceuticals will pay $23 billion in suboxone — an opiate addiction drug — for 10 years.
In total, the deal provides $22 billion in cash and $26 billion in other benefits such as opioid addiction treatments, data tracking and more.
The opioid settlement resolves lawsuits against the companies alleging that their actions played a significant role in America’s opioid crisis.
Opioid drugs such as OxyContin, Vicodin, morphine, fentanyl and others are commonly used by medical professionals to manage pain after surgery or injuries.
Although these drugs are effective in managing pain, they are also incredibly addictive. After someone is prescribed opioids by a doctor, they may eventually develop an addiction — leading them to seek irresponsible opioid prescriptions or even turn to street-drug opioids, such as heroin.
As a result of an opioid addiction, consumers may suffer financial injury along with the physical injury of addiction. Some addicted individuals may even overdose on opioids — leaving a grieving family in their wake.
Opioid addiction has become a crisis in America.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018 alone, more than 67,000 Americans died from drug overdoses — 70% of which were attributed to opioids. In 2018, the number of drug overdose deaths was four times higher than in 1999.
As a result of the opioid crisis, consumers and legal authorities have taken legal action against drug manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson.
According to legal action against these companies, the promotional and marketing materials for prescription opioids have contributed to the opioid crisis.
The benefits of opioids have allegedly been overstated to physicians and the public, while their downsides, such as addiction, have been left out of marketing, leading the drugs to be widely prescribed to treat pain.
Lawsuits, including one complaint filed by Minneapolis against drug manufacturers, argue the pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to accurately and safely market their drugs.
As a result of their actions, cities such as Minneapolis have allegedly had their resources drained by the opioid crisis while families struggle with the personal ramifications of addiction.
The recent Johnson & Johnson settlement is a global resolution to such claims that were consolidated in a multidistrict litigation.
“The settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing, and the Company will continue to defend against any litigation that the final agreement does not resolve,” Johnson & Johnson said in a statement following the announcement of the increased settlement amount. “The settlement will provide certainty for involved parties and critical assistance for families and communities in need.”
Several other companies have agreed to resolve opioid claims against them in settlement deals.
Mallinckrodt, a company that produces many of the generic opioids on the market, filed for bankruptcy recently due to the liability it faces in opioid crisis lawsuits. In February, the company agreed to pay $1.6 billion as part of a opioid settlement with 47 state attorneys general.
After the company finishes bankruptcy proceedings, it will reportedly start the opioid settlement with a $450 million payment.
Recently, Purdue told Reuters it is nearing a plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the company’s role in the opioid crisis.
As a part of the deal, Purdue would plead guilty to the criminal charges against it and resolve billions of dollars in criminal penalties. The plea deal could be unveiled within the next few weeks.
Reuters also reported Purdue may be nearing a resolution in civil claims in opioid crisis lawsuits. Like Mallinckrodt, Purdue declared bankruptcy last year in the face of mounting legal liability.
Have your or your family members been affected by the ongoing opioid crisis in America? Share your story in the comment section below.
The Opioid Crisis Settlement is In re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, Case No. 1:17-md-02804, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
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74 thoughts onJohnson & Johnson Ups Offering to $5B In Opioid Settlement Deal
Been on opiates for years and now they got me taking stronger opiates to get off the other opiates and these are even harder to stoo
I have been on medication since 2004
Please add me I’ve got all medical records
Yes. Please sign up!
Is joining still possible for this lawsuit? Please let me know if so. Thank you
I would like to join this lawsuit if possible.
Yes I was prescribed first for my back pain I had always had back pain since a very young child. I started getting prescribed vicodins for my back pain along with somas for my muscle spasm.I’d had bad green since I was very young I wouldn’t see a chiropractor once a month to have my back put a line at least once a month if not more I had severe pain growing up always in my back and I still do come to find out when I was in my twenties I found out that I had an extra vertebrae that grew in my neck I’m so that contribute to a lot of the pain I never realized how quickly you can become addicted to the pills but eventually my doctor cut me off and I started using on the street I never use needles I just use the pills or snort of them it eventually landed me into prison for 18 months for other stupid s*** in order to get my drugs I was not a person that would do something like that or think that I could be that person but I was it it’s real it’s not you never realize how easy it is to become trapped in a clutches of this epidemic of opiate use it really takes a hold of your life and changes you in a whole different person I sold for my family and my friends I ended up doing 18 months in prison for for it when I get out in 2006 my life completely changed I did 6 months later go back to trying to use drugs again although this time I realized the signs and put myself into it a methadone rehabilitation program are you still continue to be today but thanks to that program I’m alive still I’ve watched too many of my friends that I grew up with that wasn’t involved in the drugs when I was going and doing drugs but after I get out they started using drugs and they’re no longer alive but I am so it kind of makes me feel a little guilty that I became addicted got my friends hooked at least that’s the way I feel and I’m the one that’s life and they’re not too many people good bad and whatever have died from this opiate epidemic because of lies that have been pursued on us by the pharmaceutical company just to make money it’s pretty sad that the company has to make up things to get people addicted so that they can just make some cash I thought our lights were worth a lot more than that but I guess not in this world today so anybody else does having a struggle or in a struggle today I hope you find your way I still struggle on the daily basis but I found ways to cope with it better now I have a family and my son’s my world so now I try to focus on them and it helps to deal with the day-to-day struggles that go on in your head I lost an uncle to drug overdose also in this whole epidemic like I said it’s taken to any of my friends and family and it needs to stop.
My husband has been taking 180 (10-3.25) Vicodin tablets monthly for the last 19+years. Just last month his doctor just cut him completely off.
He is disabled from back, neck and shoulder work related injuries. And is now trying to deal with weaning off of this medicine with no help from his doctor while being in extreme pain.
He is now suffering with being sick to his stomach, hot flashes, cold flashes, night sweats and not sleeping.
This is not right. First the doctor gets him addicted to this medicine and then cuts him off.
Same thing happened to my dad. His Dr had him on 3 different pain meds. He was on pain meds and addicted for years. He suddenly cuts l him off cold turkey. My dad also had heart disease. He passed away 1 week after they cut hm off. I think him going from being on so many oain meds and being addicted for so many years. I thunk it shocked his heart.
Is it to late to join this lawsuit?
Not everyone abuse the drugs they are prescribed. I’ve had some of these same drugs and has never been addicted . Anything you do you have a Choice. The flip side to this is it hurts PEOPLE WHO DO NEED PAIN MEDICINE AND KNOW HOW TO TAKE IT RESPONSE ABLY. NOW WE HAVE TO BE DENIED OR ACCUSED OF HAVING AN ADDICTION GO TO PAIN MANAGEMENT BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE’S F**K UPS. I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE WHO IS ADDICTED TO ONE THING OR ANOTHER. ADDICTION CAN BE A HORRIBLE THING FOR ALL INVOLVED. BUT AT THE SAME TIME OTHER PEOPLE SHOULDN’T BE PUNISHED BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE COULDN’T CONTROL THEMSELVES. IF YOU LOVE YOURSELF YOU WILL DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO KEEP YOURSELF AS HEALTHY AS YOU CAN CONTROL. NOW HAVING AN ADDICTION IS A PITY PARTY. AND FOR THOSE WHO REALLY MEDICALLY NEED PAIN MEDICINE IT’S BECOME A NIGHTMARE.
If you are prescribed you may not abuse your medication but your definitely addicted. You are chemically dependent on a drug. Try to stop taking them and tell me your not addicted
You are obviously ignorant to the facts related to addiction, maybe read up on it and get your facts straight before posting a “pity party” for yourself on how it’s harder for you to get scheduled drugs to treat your “pain”