J&J Adds $1 Billion to Settle Opioid Suit

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has agreed to contribute an additional $1 billion to resolve multiple opioid lawsuits over its alleged role in the opioid addiction crisis at the state, city, county and tribal level.

The amount builds upon the $4 billion J&J previously allocated for the settlement, announced last October following negotiations with state attorneys general.

The multistate suits accused J&J and its subsidiaries of deceptive marketing and for pushing medical providers to prescribe its opioids.

More than 3,000 U.S. lawsuits have sought to hold J&J and other opioid manufacturers responsible for the opioid epidemic.

Last year, J&J appealed a $572 million verdict against it from Oklahoma’s Supreme Court, arguing it was unjustly singled out as responsible for the opioid abuse crisis.