Johnson & Johnson continues to fight allegations in at least nine states that it illegally marketed its anti-psychotic drug Risperdal, while approximately thirty states continue to investigate.  According to the allegations, Johnson & Johnson concealed risks associated with the drug and marketed the drug for unapproved uses.  A jury trial began in the case brought by the Arkansas Attorney General under Arkansas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Medicaid Fraud False Claims Act.  This case is the fifth that Johnson & Johnson has taken to trial.  The company prevailed in Pennsylvania after a judge threw out the case mid-trial, but lost in Louisiana and South Carolina.  Both sides assured reporters that settlement talks in Arkansas had ceased.

The company agreed to pay $158 million to resolve the case brought by the Texas Attorney General, days after beginning trial.  Johnson & Johnson attempted to rescind the settlement offer, according to the whistleblower in that case, in order to decrease the relator’s share of the settlement.  In spite of the setbacks, the agreement was entered in Texas state court on March 27th.

Read the entire articles, “Trial set for Ark. suit over anti-psychotic drugs”; “Texas, Johnson & Johnson heading back to court”; “J&J Duped Arkansas Doctors Over Risperdal, Lawyer Tells Jury”; “J&J tried, failed to squeeze whistle blower in Texas Medicaid case”