Distributors Agree to Opioid Settlement with Washington State

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. & DUBLIN, Ohio & IRVING, Texas, May 3, 2022—(BUSINESS WIRE)—AmerisourceBergen (NYSE: ABC), Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) and McKesson (NYSE: MCK) announced today that they have reached an agreement with the Washington Attorney General, under which the distributors will pay up to $518 million to the State of Washington and its participating subdivisions to resolve opioid-related claims. This amount is consistent with Washington’s allocation under the previously announced comprehensive agreement to settle the vast majority of the opioid lawsuits filed by state and local governmental entities, as well as certain attorneys’ fees and costs.

Upon effectiveness of the settlement, the State of Washington will dismiss the lawsuit that is currently being tried. The agreement is subject to certain contingencies, including the rate of subdivision participation. The terms of the agreement with the State of Washington are consistent with the comprehensive settlement agreement, which became effective on April 2, 2022.

While the companies strongly dispute the allegations made in the plaintiffs’ complaints and during trial, they believe that resolving all of the litigation filed by the State of Washington and its political subdivisions will further the companies’ goal of achieving broad resolution of governmental opioid claims while delivering meaningful relief to communities across the United States that have been impacted by the opioid epidemic.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Statements

The preceding descriptions of the resolution of certain opioids-related claims against pharmaceutical distribution companies constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in those statements. It is not possible to identify all such risks and uncertainties. The reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are first made. Except to the extent required by law, the companies undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements. Investors should read the important risk factors described in each company’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen fosters a positive impact on the health of people and communities around the world by advancing the development and delivery of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. As a leading global healthcare company, with a foundation in pharmaceutical distribution and solutions for manufacturers, pharmacies and providers, we create unparalleled access, efficiency and reliability for human and animal health. Our 42,000 global team members power our purpose: We are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #8 on the Fortune 500 with more than $200 billion in annual revenue.  Learn more at www.amerisourcebergen.com.

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for health care facilities. With 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 44,000 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. Information about Cardinal Health is available at cardinalhealth.com.

About McKesson Corporation

McKesson Corporation is a diversified healthcare services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients everywhere. Our teams partner with biopharma companies, care providers, pharmacies, manufacturers, governments, and others to deliver insights, products and services to help make quality care more accessible and affordable Learn more about how McKesson is impacting virtually every aspect of healthcare at McKesson.com and read Our Stories.