June 28, 2021

Andrew Campbell 

 The Attorney General of New York and Johnson & Johnson have agreed to a US$230 million (£165 million) settlement over the pharmaceutical company's role in the opioid epidemic. In response to charges that the American pharmaceutical juggernaut contributed to the state's opioid addiction problem, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the statement on June 26.

Addiction to both legal and illegal opioids has been a big and continuous concern for many years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 247,000 individuals died in the United States from prescription opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2019, with nearly 500,000 deaths worldwide.

Johnson & Johnson did not admit guilt or wrongdoing, according to a statement made by the corporation in the settlement with New York. Johnson & Johnson is also prohibited in the state from manufacturing, selling, or advertising opioids or opioid-related medications. Johnson & Johnson previously stated that it will cease developing and selling pain medications in the United States in 2020.

Furthermore, the US$230 million settlement will keep the company out of a trial that was scheduled to begin on June 22 and would involve several major opioid manufacturers and distributors. According to Johnson & Johnson, the settlement payments were consistent with a previous $5 billion settlement agreement. The New York settlement funds will be used for opioid education, prevention, and treatment.

 
The trial against opioid manufacturers began on April 19 in Orange County Superior Court, and it is the nation's first government-initiated case to hold opioid manufacturers accountable for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic. In May, a significant trial in federal court in West Virginia began involving three major prescription opioid distributors.

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