An Oklahoma judge found Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceutical liable for fueling the opioid crisis in the state and ordered the company to pay $572 million.
Judge Thad Balkman, of Cleveland County District Court in Norman, Oklahoma, is the first judge to rule in the opioid cases brought to trial by state and local governments across the nation against opioid manufacturers and distributors.
Johnson & Johnson said it plans to appeal the ruling and that the decision was "flawed."
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“Janssen did not cause the opioid crisis in Oklahoma, and neither the facts nor the law support this outcome,” said Michael Ullmann, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Johnson & Johnson. “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" according to a company statement.”
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter brought the case to trial for seven weeks, arguing the pharmaceutical company executed an intensive marketing campaign that overwhelmed the market and mislead consumers about the addictive risks of the drug.
Oklahoma escalated the trial after resolving claims against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma in March for $270 million and against Teva in May for $85 million.