[[{“value”:”After Washington state and its local governments sued the pharmaceutical behemoth for its involvement in the opioid crisis, Johnson & reached a settlement to pay$ 149.5 million to the state.
They were aware of the damage. They carried it out regardless, according to Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
Johnson & will reimburse Washington State for its contribution to the opioid epidemic at https://t.co/35yy61b7WN.
— January 29, 2024, John Solomon ( @jsolomonReports )
Associated Press report:
According to the most current data from the Washington State Department of Health, opioid overdose deaths more than doubled between 2019 and 2022, with 2, 048 deaths being recorded in that year.
To address the opioid crisis, including substance abuse treatment, expanded access to overdose-reversal medications, and services that assist pregnant women on drugs, the state and local governments would need to spend$ 123.3 million under the terms of the agreement. The remaining funds would be used to pay litigation costs.
The harm is “left then to policymakers to grapple with,” according to the attorney general, “or families and individuals who deal with the true tragedy of addiction in a very different way.”
The settlement agreement also needs a judge’s consent. According to the attorney general’s office, if the deal were approved, it would send over$ 20 million more to address the opioid crisis than assuming the state had agreed to a regional settlement in 2021 involving Johnson &, Johnson.
Ferguson stated that” we have an immediate need for resources to address the fentanyl crisis that is affecting communities in every corner of the state.”
” We are competing with some of the biggest businesses in the world that stoked the incident out of greed, and we are gaining vital resources that must be used to address the harm.” We’ve already recovered more than$ 1.2 billion to enhance treatment options, assist first responders, and fund additional tried-and-true solutions to this crisis, but we’re not done, he continued.
According to a press release from Ferguson’s office,” Johnson &, Johnsons ‘ aggressive marketing of opioids systematically overstated the effectiveness of the drugs for treating pain over the long term and understates the risk of addiction.”
Despite the fact that opioids were not effective at treating these conditions, Johnson & continued to market its narcotic medications for chronic pain conditions like headaches, low back pain, and fibromyalgia.
Breaking: Johnson and Johnson reach a$ 149.5 million agreement with Washington State regarding the opioid crisis https://t.co/e4o7wwnqB9
— January 24, 2024, The Associated Press ( @AP )
According to The Center Square:
Attorney General Bob Ferguson claimed that the agreement was reached after he turned down Johnson &’s lower regional settlement offer, which would have given Washington state and its regional governments$ 98.9 million over the course of nine years.
Johnson &, based in Brunswick, New Jersey, must pay the full$ 149.5 million by May after the local governments of Washington ratify the agreement. According to the Attorney General’s Office, the Legislature may appropriate the entire state share during the latest legislative session.
All 125 available local governments will need to approve the deal in order to receive the full amount, which is anticipated.
Johnson &, Johnson through its subsidiaries, farmed and processed opium poppy plants from the 1990s through at least 2016, and used their natural opiate materials to create the active ingredients required to make opiate drugs, according to the AG’s office. Additionally, the business provided another manufacturers with processed active ingredients that were used to make naloxone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and other drugs.”}]] [[{“value”:”
Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $149.5 millions to Washington State and its local governments, after the state sued Johnson & Johnson for its role in the opioid epidemic.
“They knew the harm they were doing. “They did it anyway,” Washington Attorney general Bob Ferguson said.
Johnson & Johnson will pay $149.5M to Washington state for its role in opioid epidemic https://t.co/35yy61b7WN
John Solomon (@jsolomonReports), January 29, 2024
The Associated Press:
Washington State Department of Health’s most recent statistics show that opioid overdose deaths have more than doubled between 2019 and 2022. In 2022, there will be 2,048 deaths, according to these latest figures.
The state and local governments will be required to spend $123.3 millions to combat the opioid crisis. This includes spending on substance abuse treatment, increased access to overdose-reversing drugs and services to support pregnant women. The remainder of the money will be used to cover litigation costs.
The attorney general said that the harm is “left to policymakers” to deal with, or to families and individuals who “deal in a very unique way with the true tragedy of addiction.”
The settlement agreement must still be approved by a judge. The Attorney General’s Office said that if approved, the deal will send more than $20 million to address the opioid crisis compared to a national settlement signed by the state in 2021 with Johnson & Johnson.
Ferguson said, “We urgently need resources to address the fentanyl epidemic that is affecting communities in every corner the state.”
“We are standing against some of the biggest corporations in the world who fueled the epidemic for profit and we are winning crucial resources that must be used in order to address the harm.” We have recovered more than $1.2billion to improve treatment options, to support first responders and to invest in other proven strategies for combating this crisis. And we’re still not done,” he added.
In a press statement, Ferguson’s office stated that “Johnson & Johnson aggressive marketing of opioids systematically understated and overstated risks of addiction while overstating the effectiveness of the drug in treating pain on a long-term basis.”
It added that “Johnson & Johnson marketed opioid drugs to treat chronic pain conditions such as headaches, low-back pain, and fibromyalgia despite evidence that opioids weren’t effective in treating these conditions.”
BREAKING: Washington state reaches $149.5 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over opioid crisis https://t.co/e4o7wwnqB9
The Associated Press @AP January 24, 2024
The Center Square reports
Attorney General Bob Ferguson stated that the settlement was reached because he had rejected a less generous national settlement offer from Johnson & Johnson, which would have provided $98.9 millions paid over nine years to Washington State and its local governments.
Johnson & Johnson, based in Brunswick, New Jersey is required to pay all $149.5 million within 21 business days after the Washington local governments ratify the deal, which must be done by May. The Attorney General’s Office has said that the Legislature can appropriate the entire state’s share in the current legislative session.
To receive the full amount, all eligible local governments must sign the deal. This is expected.
According to the AG’s office, Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries cultivated opium poppies and processed them to create the raw narcotic material needed to produce opioid drugs. The company sold active ingredients that were processed to other manufacturers for the production of oxycodone and hydrocodone. It also sold fentanyl to manufacture naloxone.
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