Drug distributors, J&J to announce $26 bln opioid settlement this week - source

U.S. state attorneys general and lawyers for local governments are expected on Wednesday to unveil a landmark, $26 billion settlement resolving claims that the three largest U.S. drug distributors and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson helped fuel a nationwide opioid epidemic, a person familiar with the matter said.

Under the settlement proposal, distributors McKesson Corp , Cardinal Health Inc and AmerisourceBergen Corp are expected to pay a combined $21 billion, while Johnson & Johnson would pay $5 billion.