Johnson & Johnson in $4bn opioid offer

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has offered to pay $4bn (€3.6bn) to settle all claims accusing the company of helping fuel the US opioid epidemic, as part of a potentially larger deal involving drugmakers and distributors that could top $20bn.

J&J’s overture came on the heels of a proposal by distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Amerisource Bergen to pay $18bn to wipe out all opioid suits against those companies, according to people familiar with the proposal.