In a historic move, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently reached a $149.5 million settlement with the huge healthcare company Johnson & Johnson over its part in making the opioid problem worse in the state, which has been going on for years.
For the important settlement deal to be approved by the court, J&J must pay the full amount within 21 days. Out of the total settlement amount, $123.3 million will be used to fight Washington’s growing drug addiction problem. The last $26.2 million will be used to pay for the legal fees that were racked up during the four-year fight with the drugmaker.
The first time AG Ferguson took J&J to court was in 2020. He charged the company with using dishonest sales and marketing methods to increase the number of deadly drug prescriptions and addiction in Washington state.
He singled out Duragesic, a strong fentanyl patch, and Nucynta, an opioid pill made by J&J, saying they had a huge effect on the local opioid problem even though they only had a 1% national market share.
J&J quickly settled the case without saying they were wrong. If the judge agrees, the big deal would get more than $20 million more than national settlements that were turned down before. This money would go to important statewide tools for people who are addicted to opioids.
The record settlement comes on top of the over $183 million that was recovered from Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy case earlier this year. Attorney General Ferguson’s court fight against people who sell opioids has now freed up almost $200 million more for Washington’s overworked treatment system.
“This record settlement holds Johnson & Johnson accountable for its role in the opioid crisis, while providing significant funding for treatment, recovery and prevention in communities statewide,” said AG Ferguson when announcing the agreement.
The huge payment from J&J will help with all parts of the opioid problem response in Washington. Major funding goals include expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, distributing overdose-reversal medication, supporting addiction recovery organizations, and backing other proven interventions.
More resources will also help first responders and police who are on the front lines of the synthetic opioid crisis, which is getting worse very quickly.
The settlement comes as illicit fentanyl drives skyrocketing drug deaths nationwide, with over 100,000 Americans losing their lives last year alone. Overdose deaths in Washington have gone up by more than 34% since 2019. This is because dangerous synthetic opioids are getting into the local drug supply.
AG Ferguson also said, “The opioid epidemic has taken the lives of thousands of people in Washington.” “This record settlement will fund proven treatment and prevention programs across the state.”
The deal is the first of its kind and is a small step toward justice for people who have been hurt by the opioid problem. It was made possible by AG Ferguson’s tough legal campaign against companies that make opioids.
The record $149.5 million settlement will soon start helping the overworked treatment system that is fighting the dual addiction and overdose epidemics that are destroying communities across Washington if it is accepted as planned.
In a historic move, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently reached a $149.5 million settlement with the huge healthcare company Johnson & Johnson over its part in making the opioid problem worse in the state, which has been going on for years.
For the important settlement deal to be approved by the court, J&J must pay the full amount within 21 days. Out of the total settlement amount, $123.3 million will be used to fight Washington’s growing drug addiction problem. The last $26.2 million will be used to pay for the legal fees that were racked up during the four-year fight with the drugmaker.
The first time AG Ferguson took J&J to court was in 2020. He charged the company with using dishonest sales and marketing methods to increase the number of deadly drug prescriptions and addiction in Washington state.
He singled out Duragesic, a strong fentanyl patch, and Nucynta, an opioid pill made by J&J, saying they had a huge effect on the local opioid problem even though they only had a 1% national market share.
J&J quickly settled the case without saying they were wrong. If the judge agrees, the big deal would get more than $20 million more than national settlements that were turned down before. This money would go to important statewide tools for people who are addicted to opioids.
The record settlement comes on top of the over $183 million that was recovered from Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy case earlier this year. Attorney General Ferguson’s court fight against people who sell opioids has now freed up almost $200 million more for Washington’s overworked treatment system.
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“This record settlement holds Johnson & Johnson accountable for its role in the opioid crisis, while providing significant funding for treatment, recovery and prevention in communities statewide,” said AG Ferguson when announcing the agreement.
The huge payment from J&J will help with all parts of the opioid problem response in Washington. Major funding goals include expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, distributing overdose-reversal medication, supporting addiction recovery organizations, and backing other proven interventions.
More resources will also help first responders and police who are on the front lines of the synthetic opioid crisis, which is getting worse very quickly.
The settlement comes as illicit fentanyl drives skyrocketing drug deaths nationwide, with over 100,000 Americans losing their lives last year alone. Overdose deaths in Washington have gone up by more than 34% since 2019. This is because dangerous synthetic opioids are getting into the local drug supply.
AG Ferguson also said, “The opioid epidemic has taken the lives of thousands of people in Washington.” “This record settlement will fund proven treatment and prevention programs across the state.”
The deal is the first of its kind and is a small step toward justice for people who have been hurt by the opioid problem. It was made possible by AG Ferguson’s tough legal campaign against companies that make opioids.
The record $149.5 million settlement will soon start helping the overworked treatment system that is fighting the dual addiction and overdose epidemics that are destroying communities across Washington if it is accepted as planned.