County signs on to proposed remnant-defendant opioid settlement; share expected to be modest

County counsel briefed the commission on a proposed one-time nationwide settlement totaling $97,625,000 with a set of smaller distributor defendants (the "remnant defendants") in the opioid multidistrict litigation. Counsel noted this settlement differs from prior deals because the state will not receive a share and funds are limited to political subdivisions that litigated the case.

The settlement covers several defendants named in the transcript (Associated Pharmacies Incorporated; American Associated Pharmacies; J.M. Smith Corporation; Louisiana Wholesale Drug Company; Morris & Dickson Company; North Carolina Mutual Wholesale Drug Company; and United Natural Foods Incorporated and affiliated subsidiaries). Counsel said the county’s likely share would be small — perhaps in the low five figures — because the total is split nationwide. The settlement is a one-time payment rather than a multi-year stream.

Counsel recommended accepting the participation agreement; the commission authorized the chair to sign the county’s participation agreement. The motion passed unanimously.