Johnson & Johnson entered a $20.4-million settlement with two Ohio counties, allowing it to skip an upcoming trial regarding its alleged contribution to the opioid crisis.
On Sept. 3, U.S. District Court judge Dan Polster ordered J&J and other drugmakers, including Endo International PLC, Purdue Pharma LP, Allergan PLC, Mallinckrodt Inc. and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., to face an October trial to determine whether the companies' marketing practices contributed to the painkiller addiction crisis.
The settlement resolves all the claims of the Ohio counties of Cuyahoga and Summit with no admission of liability. The agreement also removes the New Brunswick, N.J.-based drugmaker from the federal trial scheduled to begin Oct. 21.
The deal includes a combined $10 million settlement payment to the counties, as well as $5 million to reimburse the counties' legal and other expenses incurred in preparing for the trial. J&J will also direct $5.4 million of its charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations in connection with opioid-related programs in the counties.
J&J said the settlement allows it to avoid the uncertainty and strain on resources brought by a trial. The company is the fourth drugmaker — after Endo, Allergan and Mallinckrodt — to reach a settlement with Ohio counties in connection with opioid lawsuits.
The company was also previously ordered by an Oklahoma judge to pay $572 million to the state for its role in the opioid epidemic.
