Johnson & Johnson (J&J) "lied to patients and doctors" in its claims about its antipsychotic Risperdal, said Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel this week, after a jury found the company guilty following 10 days of testimony. This is the latest case regarding fraudulent claims about the company's second-generation antipsychotic, Risperdal (risperidone). The jury determined that J&J downplayed and hid risks associated with the drug, which has been linked to increased risk of stroke and death in elderly dementia patients and to seizures, weight gain, and diabetes.After the jury's decision, Arkansas Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox, issued a penalty of $1.19 billion for the nearly 240,000 violations of the state's Medicaid fraud law. The New York Times reported that he also fined the company $11 million for violations of the state's deceptive practices act.
A South Carolina judge previously upheld a $327 million civil penalty against J&J, which in March 2011, was found guilty by a jury of overstating the safety and effectiveness of Risperdal. Read more about that case in Psychiatric News here.
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