On Saturday, Johnson & Johnson JNJ 0.15% said it would end the manufacture and sale of opioids nationwide in a $230 million settlement with the New York state, Reuters reports. J&J will not face the jury trial scheduled to begin on Tuesday on Long Island with this settlement. Other opioids trials are underway in California and West Virginia. According to the settlement, J&J needs to stop selling painkillers nationwide. Johnson & Johnson did not admit liability in settling with New York State, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. As per their prior agreement, J&J has said that the settlements were to pay $5 billion to settle opioid claims.
That's the full story really - but it makes one wonder just a little as to whether there's much difference between a Big Pharma company like J&J, and a Mexican drug cartel. |