New York (AFP)
Three American drug distributors and the Johnson & Johnson laboratory, which agreed at the end of July to pay $ 26 billion related to the opioid crisis, announced on Saturday that they had received the support of enough states to take the next step in the process. 'OK.
This amicable settlement should allow them to avoid thousands of legal actions brought by American states and local communities that accuse companies of having a role in this health crisis, which has caused more than 500,000 deaths. by overdose in 20 years in the United States.
AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson have, in a joint statement, explained to have received the green light of 42 of the 49 states which were pursuing them, as well as of the district of Washington, the capital, and of five American territories.
Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson said in a separate message that it was also ready to take the next step in the deal.
"This settlement does not constitute an admission of liability or wrongdoing and the company will continue to defend itself against any disputes that the final agreement does not resolve," the company said.
Johnson & Johnson, which is among the laboratories accused of fueling the crisis by producing opiates, confirmed in June that it had stopped the production and sale of these substances.
Drug distributors are accused of turning a blind eye to suspicious opiate orders.
According to the negotiated terms, the payment of the 26 billion dollars - which should allow States and communities to finance the treatments made necessary by this scourge - depends on the number of American States which will validate the agreement.
Each participating state now has until January 2 to ask their respective local authorities if they also want to be parties to the agreement.
If the conditions are met, the agreement will enter into force "60 days after distributors determine that there is sufficient participation to proceed," the statement said.
If confirmed, the agreement will be the most important in the epic and complex legal battle waged by American states and communities to make companies pay.
In another case, an American judge on Wednesday approved the bankruptcy plan proposed by Purdue, accused for its part of having contributed to the opioid crisis in the United States by aggressively promoting its painkiller OxyContin.
The plan calls for the owners of the company, the Sackler family, to pay out a total of $ 4.5 billion to affected victims and institutions and for the company to be dismantled, in return for some immunity for family members.
© 2021 AFP