Tribes Of Native Americans Have Reached A Huge Opioid Settlement

Native American tribes and big drug firms have reached a historic agreement over the devastation caused by opioid addiction.

The provisional agreement, which includes Johnson & Johnson and three big pharma distributors, is valued at $590 million (£436 million).

"Knowingly marketing addictive medications into vulnerable neighborhoods," the businesses were accused.

Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that the settlement did not include any admissions of wrongdoing.

The business said that its actions in promoting its painkillers were "acceptable and responsible."

On Tuesday, distributors McKesson Corp, AmerisourceBergen Corp, and Cardinal Health Inc agreed to the terms.

The settlement funds will be available to all 574 federally recognized tribes, even those who did not participate in the claims process.

On top of the $75 million already pledged to the Cherokee Nation, a total of $440 million will be paid over the following seven years.

The agreement, according to AmerisourceBergen, will "expand the flow of resources to communities impacted by the crisis."

According to the Tribal Leadership Committee's court papers, Native Americans have "suffered some of the worst repercussions of the opioid epidemic of any demographic in the United States."

"Paying these additional expenditures has diverted precious funds from other purposes and created tremendous financial obligations on the tribe plaintiffs," the statement added.