ST. PAUL, Minn. — Attorney General Keith Ellison announced an agreement with Johnson & Johnson and three major drug distributors on how to distribute the state’s share of a $26 billion national settlement of an opioid lawsuit. Minnesota was among states that teamed together for compensation for thousands of opioid-caused fatalities. Ellison estimated the state’s share at $296 million over 18 years. County and municipal governments will receive 75%, he said. The rest will help pay for opioid addiction treatment and prevention. The money is from pharma giant Johnson & Johnson and drug distributors Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen.
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The three distributors: “While the companies strongly dispute the allegations made in these lawsuits, they believe the proposed settlement agreement and settlement process it establishes are important steps toward achieving broad resolution of governmental opioid claims and delivering meaningful relief to communities across the United States.”