Florida Agrees Two Opioid Settlements Totaling $360M

Florida Agrees Two Opioid Settlements Totaling $360M

Introduction

Florida enters into two opioid settlement agreements with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Endo Health Solutions, summing up the settlement amount to $360 million.

J&J and Endo Health Solutions will pay nearly $300 million and $65 million, respectively, as per the settlement agreement over their role in fueling the opioid crisis in the country and Florida.

Attorney General Ashley Moody stated that the opioid crisis has disrupted the peace of the country by affecting many families and communities across the nation. She added that the settlements are the perfect solutions to make the companies pay for their actions, and it will also help to restore the devastation caused due to opioid abuse.

The AG's office has created an online portal for local governments to sign onto the settlement agreement, and a similar process would be used for the Endo Agreement. The final amount of the settlement will be decided in the next few months, which would be paid over several years to various counties and municipalities.

The AG even argued that Endo Health Solutions Inc. used unfair strategies of marketing to boost opioid sales and downplayed the risks associated with opioid addiction. The company even failed to monitor and report suspicious orders of opioid medications.

Last year in August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a $26 billion opioid settlement which is the largest penalty in the opioid crisis of U.S. history. The agreement includes payout from the nation's major pharmaceutical distributors, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal and McKesson along with opioid manufacturer J&J. The amount would be used to tackle the opioid crisis and prevent opioid addiction among the people.