Johnson & Johnson and their child company Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. made a major announcement just like week. It wasn’t the launch of a new drug or product, but the announcement of their $181 million settlement with more than 35 states regarding the marketing of anti-psychotic drugs for uses that were not approved by the FDA.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals is expected to pay $181 million to settle the charges that they marketed Risperdal for unapproved purposes, essentially putting countless individuals in danger due to the off-label uses. The settlement will be split between 36 states, as well as the District of Columbia.
J&J’s company was accused of deceptively marketing the drug to providers treating those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia without any FDA approval. Though the drug is approved for treatment of schizophrenia, J&J has never gotten approval for the other conditions they were targeting.
While physicians are legally allowed to prescribe drugs for off-label purposes, manufacturers like J&J are not allowed to promote the drug for those uses or do any marketing geared towards this.
The New York Attorney General believes that Janssen Pharmaceuticals was using these illegal marketing practices beginning in 1998 all the way through 2004 at least.
He was quoted saying “This landmark settlement holds the companies accountable for practices that put patients in danger, and serves as a warning to other pharmaceutical giants that they must play by one set of rules.”
While J&J refused to admit any wrongdoing on their part due to the settlement, they did agree to restrain from promoting Risperdal and other drugs for off-label purposes or make any misleading marketing claims.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, we encourage you to reach out to our firm today. We are here to hold major manufacturers, companies, and corporations accountable!