Jury Hits Johnson & Johnson With $8B Verdict In Case Claiming Company Downplayed Risks Of Anti-Psychotic Drug
The plaintiff sued Johnson & Johnson in 2013 saying that he grew breasts — a condition known as gynecomastia — after he began using Risperdal in 2003, at age 9, to treat symptoms of autism. His case is one of more than 10,000 similar suits against the company.
The New York Times:
Johnson & Johnson Hit With $8 Billion Jury Verdict In Risperdal Suit
A Philadelphia jury on Tuesday hit Johnson & Johnson with an $8 billion verdict over its marketing of the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal, siding with a Maryland man who argued that the health care giant downplayed risks that the drug could lead to breast growth in boys. The verdict in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas was the first to award punitive damages against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, said Thomas R. Kline, a lawyer who is part of a legal team representing the man and more than 10,000 people in similar lawsuits. (Zaveri and Thomas, 10/8)
The Associated Press:
Johnson & Johnson, Risperdal Maker Hit With $8B Verdict
A law firm for the plaintiff released a statement Tuesday saying the companies used an organized scheme to make billions of dollars while illegally marketing and promoting the drug called Risperdal. Johnson & Johnson says the award “is grossly disproportionate with the initial compensatory award in this case,” and that the company is “confident it will be overturned.” (10/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
J&J Hit With $8 Billion Jury Award Over Antipsychotic Drug
It was the biggest award to date among more than 13,000 lawsuits against J&J alleging that Risperdal caused a condition called gynecomastia in boys, which involves enlargement of breast tissue. The lawsuits generally claim that J&J was aware of the risk of this side effect, but understated the risk to doctors. It is also the latest in a series of costly legal setbacks for J&J in a slew of lawsuits alleging injuries from products and other claims. In August, an Oklahoma judge ordered the company to pay $572 million for contributing to the state’s opioid-addiction crisis. (Loftus, 10/8)
Bloomberg:
J&J Unit Ordered To Pay $8 Billion Over Anti-Psychotic Drug
The verdict, which is unlikely to be upheld on appeal, may nonetheless sound an ominous warning for J&J since the company still faces more than 13,000 suits over its Risperdal marketing and failure to warn teens about its health risks, according to the company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. More than 7,000 of those cases are pending in state court in Philadelphia, according to court records. (Feeley and Griffin, 10/8)
