Johnson & Johnson Will Pay $7.8M to Settle Arkansas Lawsuit

Court filings show pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $7.8 million to settle a lawsuit over how the company marketed an antipsychotic drug to Arkansas doctors.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported $2 million will go to a Texas law firm that represented Arkansas in the suit, which began more than seven years ago.

A Pulaski County jury ruled three years ago that the company, through its Janssen Pharmaceutical subsidiary, committed Medicaid fraud and violated a state law in its labeling and marketing of Risperdal. A $1.2 billion fine was imposed on Johnson & Johnson, but it was later overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Janssen representative Michelle Bauer said Monday that the settlement isn’t an admission of liability.