Four large drug companies reached a last-minute $260 million (€233 million) legal settlement over their role in the US opioid addiction epidemic, averting the first federal trial, which was scheduled to start on Monday morning in Cleveland, Ohio. The settlement covers drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson and Israel-based drugmake Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and ends lawsuits by two Ohio counties. Hunter Shkolnik, an attorney for the counties, said Teva was paying $20 million in cash and would contribute $25 million worth of Suboxone, an opioid addiction treatment. Download