Two counties in Ohio just settled their claims relating to opioid addiction against four defendants, three of whom are distributors and the other a manufacturer of opioids, for $260 million. The three distributors are AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson. The manufacturer is Teva, an Israeli based drug maker. Reportedly, the three distributors are paying $215 million and Teva is paying $20 million plus it will contribute $25 million worth of the generic Suboxone, which is a drug used to treat addiction to opioids.
The two Ohio counties that settled just before opening statement to the jury in the trial set in Cleveland, Ohio are Summit County and Cuyahoga County.
For those readers who do fully understand what opioids are, opioids are a class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. Opioids work in the brain to promote pain relief plus some other different effects.