1. Pink Sheet

J&J, Distributors May Be Free Of Opioid Litigation If Enough States Sign On To $26bn Settlement

 
• By Brenda Sandburg

NY AG has ‘no comment’ on whether criminal charges will be pursued against company executives; NC AG predicts ‘north of 40 states’ expected to accept settlement and would then need to convince municipalities to come on board. States with ongoing litigation against manufacturers may opt for jury trial instead. 

Opioids states
J&J, distributors reach deal with states to resolve opioid litigation • Source: Alamy

Johnson & Johnson will pay up to $5bn over nine years and the three largest US distributors – Cardinal Health, Inc., McKesson Corp., and AmerisourceBergen Corporation – will pay up to $21bn over the next 18 years to resolve claims by state and local governments they helped fuel the opioid epidemic under an agreement with state attorneys general.

But the deal, which would be the second largest in US history after the tobacco industry settlement, depends on a critical mass of states, municipalities and counties signing on to...

More from Legal & IP

More from Pink Sheet

Non-User Fee Dollars Increased In US FDA’s Updated FY 2026 Budget Request

 
• By Derrick Gingery

The budget authority total, which is significantly higher than the amount floated in an April OMB draft document, suggests there may have been successful lobbying to increase FDA funding.

US ‘Most Favored Nation’ Pricing Could be Game Changer for Drug Access In Germany

 
• By Francesca Bruce

In this first in a series of articles looking at the potential impact of the MFN drug pricing policy on European pharmaceutical markets, EUCOPE’s Alexander Natz tells the Pink Sheet why the US policy underscores the importance of confidential net pricing.

ICH Targets RWE, Rare Diseases, Biosimilars, ATMPs In New Guideline Push

 
• By Vibha Sharma

The International Council for Harmonisation has identified four new topics that can benefit from global regulatory alignment, with timelines for initiating work to be determined later.