Suit sought to hold company responsible for spread of addictive painkillers.
Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay far less than the $17.2 billion the state asked for. : A judge in Oklahoma ruled Monday that Johnson & Johnson will have to pay the state $572 million for its role in fueling the opioid crisis—the first decision in a court case attempting to hold a pharmaceutical company accountable for the spread of the highly addictive painkillersOklahoma's will use the settlement money to fund addiction treatment programs.
The decision is a hopeful sign for thousands of similar lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies around the country, including a number of cases going before a federal judge in Ohio.Johnson & Johnson said in a statement it would appeal the decision. The state of Oklahoma argued that Johnson & Johnson created a “public nuisance” by deceptively advertising opioid painkillers to doctors. The same legal argument was used to fight Big Tobacco companies, and the decision provides a legal roadmap for for other cases against pharmaceutical companies.
In defense, Johnson and Johnson said it’s not responsible for the crisis, and only produced less than 1% of opioids in the state. “Janssen did not cause the opioid crisis in Oklahoma, and neither the facts nor the law support this outcome,” said Michael Ullmann, Johnson & Johnson's general counsel. “We recognize the opioid crisis is a tremendously complex public health issue and we have deep sympathy for everyone affected. We are working with partners to find ways to help those in need.
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