Johnson & Johnson settles New York opioid suits for $263 million before trial

Johnson & Johnson said it agreed to pay $263 million to resolve opioid lawsuits filed in New York, settling the cases on the eve of the first US jury trial over claims the company mishandled the highly addictive painkillers.

The settlement resolves complaints brought by New York State Attorney General Letitia James and two Long Island counties that are set to go to trial next week. In a statement Saturday, the company said the deal is consistent with a $5 billion settlement proposal it made last year to resolve all its opioid liability. The global proposal has yet to be finalised.

“The dollar amount to be received by the state is the pro-rated share it would have received under the broader agreement in principle, which will be deducted from the all-in settlement amount,” J&J said in the statement. The company’s Janssen unit stopped making opioid painkillers last year. J&J denied any wrongdoing.


Thousands of lawsuits have been filed by states, cities and counties against opioid makers, drug distributors and pharmacy chains over their roles in fuelling the US opioid epidemic, which has claimed the lives of almost 500,000 Americans over the last 20 years. Most of those claims are pending.

James’ office said in a separate statement the Johnson & Johnsonsettlement would provide $230 million to New York municipalities. That figure didn’t include legal fees and costs that J&J factored into its final tally, said Fabian Levy, a spokesman for James.