Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $40.5 million to settle New Hampshire’s claims over the company’s role in the U.S. opioid epidemic, averting a trial that had been scheduled to begin next week.
Thursday’s settlement resolves a lawsuit brought in 2018 against Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit.
New Hampshire accused them of aggressively marketing opioids to doctors and patients, misrepresenting their addictive properties when used to treat chronic pain, and targeting vulnerable groups like the elderly.
“This resolution provides a positive step forward in ensuring these devastating business practices are not repeated,” Governor Chris Sununu said in a statement….