The Arkansas Supreme Court today overturned a $1.2 billion judgment against Johnson & Johnson, ruling that laws requiring companies to properly communicate risks and use of drugs applies to health care companies, not pharmaceutical companies. “I am disappointed that the Court viewed the law differently. Nevertheless, I will keep working to protect consumers against fraud and the kinds of irresponsible and greedy actions shown by Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals in their marketing of the drug Risperdal,” said Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.
Of further interest:
Champagne around… (1BoringOldMan)
Arkansas Supreme Court reverses billion-dollar Risperdal case (Arkansas Blog)
The justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court should hang their heads in shame this morning. This is equivalent to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that corporations are people. There is no justice to be had where money is concerned.
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That’s true Stephen .Years ago when Thalidomide was shown to cause birth defects didn’t they have to withdraw the drug and pay fines. What in this case makes it so different and why not call an indefinite duration boycott on these pharmaceutical companies for the people to enact if they choose whenever possible until justice as the people remember it is served? Another example of a supreme court turning into a Kangaroo Court.
Fred
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Unfortunately, I wasn’t surprised by this result. I’m very familiar with how things in Arkansas work, or don’t work for that matter. The entire state is moving towards being taken over by political forces that have absolutely no use for people who aren’t rich. Everything is being handed over, slowly but surely, to the One Percenters. Arkansas is and never was a rich state to begin with, but it will be wrung dry like a turnip that they’re determined to get blood out of. The poor and disenfranchised are particular targets as they’re labeled as people taking a free ride on the backs of the righteous people who deserve everything. It’s all beginning to sound very similar to what was said in Germany after the WWII about certain groups being “useless eaters.” It’s very disturbing so the Court ruling in favor of this mega drug company is not surprising at all.
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I meant WWI! The talk in Germany in after WWI was based totally on Social Darwinism and how only the righteous and the pure “deserve” services. The poor, the “mentally ill,” and the Jews were referred to as “useless eaters.”
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A new low for these pharma dirt-bags, drug marketing on children’s toys !
Check out the Risperdal Legos http://www.medgadget.com/2007/05/risperdal_legos.html
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Wow…nice catch. Seriously? Risperdal Legos? How bout Effexor Barbie? And Abilify Elmo? So tired of seeing promo clocks, pens and clipboards with these drugs branded across them. Ugh…
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Also maybe Ritalin Bart Simpson and SSRI Eeyore. Oh, I forgot Zyprexa Calvin & Hobbes.
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Mr Keyes;
You saw the popcorn too, right?
The Docs had to be reassured the microwave popcorn contained “No Active Drug” : ergo They weren’t about to risk becoming “Mentally Healthy” with it themselves with it if it did.
Anyway, here’s a couple of Court Slip Opinions for folks wanting the ins and outs of the issues argued by Janssen and the State AG:
http://www.wlf.org/upload/litigation/briefs/Ortho-McNeilvArkansas-WLFAmicus.pdf
http://opinions.aoc.arkansas.gov/WebLink8/0/doc/321287/Electronic.aspx
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