Opioid Distributors to Pay $75 Million in Cherokee Opioid Accord

The three largest U.S. opioid distributors agreed to pay $75 million to the Cherokee Nation Native American tribe in Oklahoma to settle allegations that the companies helped fuel a public health crisis with their highly addictive painkillers.

McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Corp. on Tuesday announced the deal, which is the first opioid settlement with a tribal government. It is separate from a $26 billion proposal by the distributors and Johnson & Johnson to resolve thousands of suits by states and local governments over the medications. That deal has yet to be finalized.

The settlement with ...