Drug companies reach tentative deal with Ohio counties to settle opioids lawsuit 

Four drug companies reached a tentative settlement shortly before they were to go to trial yesterday in the nation’s first federal trial about the opioid epidemic. Two Ohio counties were suing five companies — generics maker Teva, three drug distributors, and Walgreens — for their alleged role in pushing high volumes of opioid painkillers into communities. All but Walgreens settled for a sum of $260 million; the Walgreens case has been postponed. The counties — Cuyahoga and Summit — will receive $215 million from the drug distributors, with Teva supplying $20 million over two years as well as another $25 million in anti-addiction medicines over the next three years. Still, yesterday’s deal only covers two of the more than 2,300 local governments and other entities suing pharmaceutical companies over their role in the opioid crisis.