Johnson & Johnson will pay $8 billion in punitive damages in a case. A Philadelphia jury has ordered the penalty in the case of a man who said as a child he consumed Johnson & Johnson’s anti-psychotic drug Risperdal due to which he grew breasts. This case is independent of a string of big-money lawsuits which the company is facing over its signature baby powder.
The jury found that Johnson & Johnson did not warn 26-year-old man of the drug’s side effects. He claimed that consuming the drug Risperdal in his childhood resulted in development of breasts on his body. This is an incurable condition known as gynecomastia. Many others have filed lawsuits claiming the same side effect.
The man said he was 9 years old when he was prescribed the medicine for autism spectrum disorder related symptoms.
Man’s solicitors claimed that the company sold the unapproved drug, off-label use in children to increase profits, choosing “billions over children.”
On the other hand, Johnson & Johnson refused the charges, by saying this that the company is confident that the ruling will be overturned. Moreover, the company alleged that evidence showed how the label for the drug “clearly and appropriately outlined the risks associated with the medicine.”
The victim’s solicitors said that the punitive damages were intended to prevent the company from similar conduct in the future. They believe the decision will stand.
