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Following her office’s announcement of a $26 billion resolution with the nation’s largest drug distributors, Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, and Johnson & Johnson, which manufactured and marketed opioids, Attorney General Maura Healey today joined with mayors, municipal and health care leaders from across the state, and families harmed by the opioid epidemic to celebrate $525 million in funds that have been secured for prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery programs throughout Massachusetts.
As part of the resolution, first announced in July 2021, municipalities across the country were eligible to sign-on to receive settlement funds to abate the crisis in their communities. Today, AG Healey announced that, because of widespread support from cities and towns, Massachusetts will receive the maximum amount under the settlements. In addition, as the result of an agreement secured by the AG’s Office, all of funds will go toward abatement resources for communities and families to address the devastating impact of the opioid crisis throughout the state.
“Massachusetts led the nation in taking on the opioid industry, and we will lead the nation in delivering prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery,” said AG Healey. “Cities and towns across our state worked together to secure more than half a billion dollars, and we are committed to using every dollar to provide the services that families need.”
Under the terms of the settlements, more than $525 million will be coming into Massachusetts over the next 18 years starting this spring. Of that, more than $210 million will be distributed directly to Massachusetts municipalities, and more than $310 million will go into the statewide Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund to ensure that funds are spent on harm reduction, treatment, and prevention.
These settlements are the result of an investigation that found that three major opioid distributors shipped thousands of suspicious orders without regard for their legitimacy, and that Johnson & Johnson misled patients and doctors about their addictive nature.
The first two annual payments due under the settlements are expected to flow into the state this spring and summer. From 2023 through 2038, the payments are expected annually, in July.
For more information on the statewide opioid settlements, visit the AG’s FAQ here. This matter was handled by Senior Enforcement Counsel Gillian Feiner, Assistant Attorney General Sandy Alexander, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Lashof-Sullivan, Paralegal Philipp Nowak and Assistant Attorney General Mary Freeley, Deputy Chief of the AG’s Health Care and Fair Competition Bureau.
