A landmark trial began on May 28, Tuesday, between Oklahoma State and Johnson & Johnson over alleged links to the opioid epidemic.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter and outside lawyers for the state have claimed that J&J sparked the opioid crisis. Hunter also argued that J&J and subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. unit began spreading the lies about painkillers risks & benefits from the mid-1990s. The trial is being considered to be one of the nation’s most significant trials in recent history, carrying profound implications for the health of millions of Americans, the reputations and bank accounts of dozens of major corporations, and the finances and services of governments across the country.
Purdue and Teva Pharmaceuticals settled for $270 million and $85 million, respectively. J&J has expressed an openness to settle, also indicating that it’s prepared to battle to the end.
