J&J Hit With $8 Billion Jury Award Over Antipsychotic Drug – The Wall Street Journal

A Philadelphia jury on Tuesday purchased

Johnson & & Johnson
JNJ -0.99%

to pay $8 billion in damages to a Maryland man who stated his use of J&J’s antipsychotic Risperdal as a child triggered bigger breasts and the company stopped working to appropriately caution of this danger.

It is likewise the newest in a series of costly legal problems for J&J in a slew of suits alleging injuries from items and other claims. In August, an Oklahoma judge purchased the company to pay$ 572 million for contributing to the state’s opioid-addiction crisis.

It was the most significant award to date among more than 13,000 suits versus J&J alleging that Risperdal caused a condition called gynecomastia in young boys, which includes enhancement of breast tissue. The lawsuits usually declare that J&J was conscious of the threat of this adverse effects, but understated the danger to doctors.

J&J has rejected the accusations and is seeking to appeal the baby-powder and opioid decisions. Recently, J&J said it consented to pay$ 20.4 million to settle suits filed by 2 Ohio counties declaring the business helped spark the opioid epidemic; the company didn’t confess liability.

In 2015, a St. Louis jury found J&J must pay $4.69 billion in damages to 22 women and their households who blamed ovarian-cancer cases on use of the business’s talcum powder.

When ruling on appeals, judges typically reduce jury punitive-damage awards.

The current decision comes from a lawsuit submitted by

Nicholas Murray,

who said his use of Risperdal in between 2003 and 2008 triggered gynecomastia. In 2015, a Philadelphia jury awarded Mr. Murray $1.75 million in damages, which a judge decreased to $680,000, but the judge had barred the jury from awarding punitive damages at that time.

J&J said it was precluded from presenting a meaningful defense due to the court’s exemption of essential evidence, which the recommending label for Risperdal correctly described its dangers.

J&J, based in New Brunswick, N.J., stated in a declaration Tuesday it will right away move “to reserve this unfounded and extreme verdict.” The business said the quantity was “grossly out of proportion” to the preliminary compensatory award of $680,000, and it is positive the decision will be overturned.

An appeals court later on overturned the judge’s choice on punitive damages, clearing the method for the punitive-damages stage of the trial to start in September, ending with Tuesday’s decision.

Mr. Murray’s lawyers, Thomas Kline and

Jason Itkin,

Write to Peter Loftus at peter.loftus@wsj.com!.?.! Copyright © 2019 Dow Jones & Company

Risperdal, which deals with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and irritability connected with autism, was one of J&J’s highest-selling items before losing its U.S. patent exclusivity in 2008.

said in a declaration that the jury “resoundingly told Johnson & & Johnson that its actions were purposeful and malicious.”

It was the biggest award to date among more than 13,000 suits against J&J declaring that Risperdal caused a condition called gynecomastia in boys, which includes augmentation of breast tissue.

It is also the latest in a series of costly legal setbacks for J&J in a variety of claims declaring injuries from items and other claims. J&J has denied the claims and is looking for to appeal the baby-powder and opioid choices. The latest decision stems from a lawsuit filed by

Mr. Murray’s legal representatives, Thomas Kline and

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