Virginia has already received its first payment from the $99 million opioid settlement, spanned over nine years with Johnson & Johnson.
The initial payment of $67.4 million from Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, comprises around $11 million for the state, $16 million for communities, and over $40 million for the Opioid Abatement Authority.
Virginia's attorney general expressed his delight that the money from these record-breaking settlements is now on its way out. He went on to say that the consumer protection division worked diligently to guarantee that Virginians received the most cash available as soon as feasible. This will assist the Commonwealth and individual municipalities in combating the opioid epidemic and reducing, preventing, and treating addiction.
The settlement also compels Johnson & Johnson to cease selling opioids in the United States, to stop advertising them or sponsoring third parties that promote opioids, and to stop lobbying on drug legislation or regulation.
According to the Virginia Department of Health's first-quarter data, 46 Virginia counties are on track to have more opioid-related deaths than the previous year. Richmond is on track to have 300 opioid fatalities this year, and Henrico County may have more than 100 for the second year in a row. Roanoke is also expecting more than 100 fatalities.
The opioid issue may be attributed mostly to Appalachian regions, notably Virginia, where another opioid-producing business, Purdue Pharma, promoted OxyContin in the 1990s, leading to widespread opiate addiction. Earlier this year, it struck a $6 billion settlement with multiple states.
The Johnson & Johnson settlement is the latest in a string of agreements Virginia has reached with opioid manufacturers or distributors. So far, the state has collected settlements totalling about $108.3 million from Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen.
