AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas is seeking more than $1 billion in damages in a lawsuit that accuses Johnson & Johnson of overstating the safety of an anti-psychotic drug and influencing its use in the state’s Medicaid program.
A jury was chosen Jan. 9 in an Austin courtroom. Opening statements in the trial are set for Jan. 10.
A whistle-blower filed the lawsuit, then Texas joined it. The lawsuit is one of dozens of pending state and federal cases alleging illegal marketing practices and kickbacks in an effort to boost Risperdal over competing drugs. Risperdal is a pill for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Johnson & Johnson says it will vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit’s claims.
The trial is expected to last at least two weeks.
The Associated Press
