Johnson & Johnson is taking a hit to its wallet over its antipsychotic drug Risperdal: A judge last week fined the pharmaceutical giant $1.2 billion for misleading patients and doctors about the dangers of the drug.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/12/business/drug-giant-is-fined-1-2-billion-in-arkansas.html
The judge’s verdict was in Arkansas, and it ranks “among the largest on record for a state fraud case involving a drug company,” according to The New York Times. And it is just the latest in a series of legal hits Johnson & Johnson has taken regarding its marketing of Risperdal.
In the latest case, Arkansas Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox fined Johnson & Johnson $1.19 billion for roughly 240,000 violations of the state’s Medicaid law, The Times reported. There was also a fine of $11 million for violating the Arkansas deceptive practices act.
In January Johnson & Johnson unit Janssen Pharmaceuticals settled a similar case in Texas for $158 million, according to The Times. And in South Carolina, a judge fined Janssen $327 million, while a Louisiana jury awarded roughly $258 million in damages.
According to The Times, Janssen issued a statement in response to the Arkansas ruling, saying it would ask for a new trial or appeal.
“The state did not show that any Arkansas patient was ever harmed by using Risperdal,” Janssen said.
Johnson & Johnson has been accused of hiding the dangerous side effects of using Risperdal, which is approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autistic children. Its risks include an increased risk of diabetes and stroke, as well as weight gain.
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