Johnson & Johnson Pushed Risperdal With Golf, Popcorn, Witness Says

Did Johnson & Johnson sales reps try to butter up doctors and their office staffs with specially branded Risperdal popcorn as part of concerted effort to widen the market for the drug? A team of Johnson & Johnson lawyers is trying to convince a Pennsylvania state court jury today that the health care giant never attempted such a gambit as they defend charges that Risperdal caused a 17-year-old boy to grow breasts. The argument over the popcorn is actually part of a wider and ongoing effort by J&J (JNJ) to deflect charges of illegal and inappropriate marketing of its antipsychotic. Already, though, J&J has agreed to pay $181 million to resolve claims by 36 states for promoting the Risperdal and Invega antipsychotics for unapproved uses (read here). And a $2.2 billion settlement is reportedly being negotiated with the US Department of Justice.

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