Cherokee Nation reaches $75M settlement with drug companies

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Cherokee Nation and three opioid distributors have reached a $75 million settlement to resolve opioid-related claims against the companies.

The tribe based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, announced the deal Tuesday with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation.

The settlement is the largest in Cherokee Nation history and will be paid out over six and a half years. The tribe sued the three companies, along with several pharmacy companies, in 2017.

The companies said in a joint statement that the settlement is a step toward “a broader settlement with all federally recognized Native American tribes.“

The Cherokee Nation’s claims against Walmart, Walgreens and CVS are pending.