BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh on Wednesday announced that Maryland will participate in two multistate settlements with the three largest distributors of opioid medications and Johnson & Johnson. Maryland will join 41 other states, five territories, and the District of Columbia in the settlements.

The Distributors’ settlement will resolve allegations that McKesson, AmeriSourceBergen, and Cardinal Health failed for years to monitor and report suspicious orders of opioid products, which resulted in diversion of those drugs on a massive scale. The Johnson & Johnson settlement will resolve claims that the company deceptively marketed its fentanyl products to healthcare providers and patients.

McKesson, AmeriSourceBergen, and Cardinal Health could pay Maryland and its subdivisions up to $411.17 million, while Johnson & Johnson could pay up to $91.6 million.

“No amount of money could ever compensate for the devastation wrought by the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Frosh. “But these settlements will bring much needed funds to address the harms Marylanders have suffered. The funds will provide addiction treatment, prevention, and other abatement programs across the State to help Marylanders recover.”

Under the settlement agreement, the Distributors will also adopt extensive monitoring and reporting programs to address suspicious orders and diversion of opioids, and Johnson & Johnson will cease its sale of opioids. The extent to which Maryland receives its full share of the recovery will depend on the level of participation in the settlements by the State’s counties and municipalities.

The subdivisions have until early January 2022 to decide whether to join the settlements.

Photo by Alex Green from Pexels