$260m deal reached to avert federal trial on opioid crisis

Three major US drug distributors and a drug manufacturer reached a $260 million settlement on Monday to avoid a trial in federal court seeking to affix blame for stoking the opioid crisis in two Ohio counties.

Drug distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and Amerisource-Bergen agreed to pay the counties a total of $215 million. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, an Israel-based drugmaker, agreed to pay $20 million over the next two years and donate addiction-treatment drugs valued at $25 million.

Cuyahoga and Summit counties, which include the cities of Cleveland and Akron, sought to recover costs incurred during the opioid epidemic, including medical care, emergency services and foster care for children born to addicted parents.