topic Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊 in Community Chat

💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Mz iMac — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 22:42:57 GMT

Johnson & Johnson Ordered to Pay $572 Million in Landmark Opioid Trial

The first case against a drug manufacturer for the national public health disaster may indicate what lies ahead in 2,000 more lawsuits.

A judge in Oklahoma on Monday ruled against Johnson & Johnson, the deep-pocketed corporate giant, and ordered it to pay the state $572 million in the first trial of an opioid manufacturer for the destruction wrought by prescription painkillers.

Johnson & Johnson, which contracted with poppy growers in Tasmania, supplied 60 percent of the opiate ingredients that drug companies used for opioids like oxycodone, the state had argued, and aggressively marketed opioids to doctors and patients as safe and effective. A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, made its own opioids — a pill whose rights it sold in 2015, and a fentanyl patch that it still produces.

copy/paste link---> (FULL ARTICLE) nytimes.com/2019/08/26/health/oklahoma-opioids-johnson-and-johnson.html

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

ECBG — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 22:45:05 GMT

WOW!

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Still Raining — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 22:47:29 GMT

But where are the jail terms for prescribing MDs. The whistle blowers at the pharmacies? The personal responsibility of the addicts?

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Love my grandkids — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:05:00 GMT

As a former legal secretary, I'd bet money that the appeal was prepared for filing before the ruling ever came down.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Mz iMac — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:00:50 GMT

@Still Raining wrote:
But where are the jail terms for prescribing MDs. The whistle blowers at the pharmacies? The personal responsibility of the addicts?

According to the lawsuit paperwork, J&J were only charged w/"creating “a public nuisance.”

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Still Raining — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:09:21 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@Still Raining wrote:
But where are the jail terms for prescribing MDs. The whistle blowers at the pharmacies? The personal responsibility of the addicts?
According to the lawsuit paperwork, J&J were only charged w/"creating “a public nuisance.”

Well at least I edited my reply before I hit post. My eyes are rolling back into my ears.

Remember Flip Wilson and his the devil made me do it?

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

CLHS68 — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:20:39 GMT

People need to accept some responsibility as no one forced them to take them. My doctor perscribed some for me several years ago & I told him I would not take them as perscribed as I did not want to get addicted. So I just suffered with the pain.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

NicksmomESQ — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:35:07 GMT

There is enough blame here to go around. However, doctors being paid off to prescribe meds when they know the harmful effects is just plain criminal IMHO.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Annabellethecat66 — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 23:50:39 GMT

My arthritis Dr gave me a prescription for Cymbalta for my fibromyalgia.

Then I talked to my Dr that I see every 3 weeks for my back and knee pain. She said I should take the Cymbalta.

I got it filled and took one.....one pill. I got sick as a dog. I mean really sick.

I read the white information packet that comes with the prescription. It said it could become addictive, it will make you feel tired and on and on.

I said, "Forget it. I'm already tired, I don't need this". So I went back to the Dr Orthopedic surgeon that treats me and told her about getting so sick. She said sometimes it takes a week or two to get your body used to it. I told her I wasn't going to take it. She said it was up to me.

I figured if I was going to be in such terrible pain with my back, I'd live with the Fibromyalgia pain.

While talking to the Ortho Dr I told her about the white pamphlet saying it could become addictive and it advised to not just stop taking it suddenly, bla bla.

She said that it is very addictive. She told me it is one of the most difficult medicines there is to get a patient off of. She said it's more difficult to get a patient off of Cymbalta than Oxycodone or many other pain medications.

These are Drs who deal every day with people and their pain. They know everything there is to know about pain. When I had my knees both replaced at the same time, instead of the Orthopedic Dr who replaced the knees (different group of Drs) this Dr controlled the pain medicine for me.

Anyway, my point is there are many medicines which are addictive. I think it's really, really important for people to read every bit of information that comes with these medicines.

I think it's very important to go back to your Dr AFTER you read everything about it AND BEFORE you take the medicine to talk frankly and openly with them.

I've never seen or read anything about Cymbalta being addictive, but.....obviously it is.

The FDA approves so many medicines that, I think might have more of a warning on them.

It's the same thing with pot. You really realize how crazy this country is with pot being legal or illegal (depending on the state) when you watch that police show "Live PD". It's crazy to think (depending on the state) people can be locked up for possessing pot while other's can't.

We all have our ideas about Pot but one day we'll be treating people for lung cancer or other diseases from smoking pot.

It's as if these people who make our laws never learn. But, as always, it's about the Almighty dollar!

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

alicedee — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 02:50:57 GMT

The company who makes these pain killers....I’m grateful they do. Anyone who has suffered or watched a loved one suffer with horrible pain knows they are sometimes needed, and no one should have to suffer needlessly.

I fault the doctors who prescribed these like aspirin in a lot of cases, and the people who took them without even trying something less strong first. Through the years I had several doctors and a couple dentists prescribe opioids without hesitation, and offer refills without hesitation. I seldom took them....but when pain was severe, was glad I had them.

Nobody was forced to take them.

Now people who truly need pain meds have a terrible time getting a doctor to prescribe them.

Why does everything have to go from one extreme to another?

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

sassenach1 — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 00:09:37 GMT

@Annabellethecat66
I completely agree with your post. I took Cymbalta for about three years for back and neck pain. It helped. But I did not like what I read about it and I don’t like to take anything. I weaned myself off of it. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I carefully poured out the insides of capsules and then after a while I went every other day. I felt it all over my body. Especially in my head. I have a very complicated and intense job and going through Cymbalta withdrawal did not make it easy. It was so hard. But I made it through and got off it completely. That was about 3 - 4 years ago. I’ll never again take something like that. I take ibuprofen when I have to, but that is all I will do.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

SydneyH — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 00:51:11 GMT

The company is appealling the ruling, but I never had any problem with passing on this type of medication.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

ScarletDove — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 01:00:07 GMT

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

"...It's the same thing with pot. You really realize how crazy this country is with pot being legal or illegal (depending on the state) when you watch that police show "Live PD". It's crazy to think (depending on the state) people can be locked up for possessing pot while other's can't.

We all have our ideas about Pot but one day we'll be treating people for lung cancer or other diseases from smoking pot..."

@Annabellethecat66 Anyone can go here to the NIH-NIDA website for all the information anyone may want on marijuana.... lots of information and interesting...
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/letter-director

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Sooner — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 01:25:21 GMT

Oklahoma basically legalized pot (there are pot shops on every corner, growers gearing up and what not) then sued opioid manufacturers. Go figure.

My boss used to say every time a case is decided two walk out with a victory--both lawyers.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Spurt — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 01:54:53 GMT

There's a lot of people who played a part in this whole situation. .This was brought to the attention of let's just say....."people in high places" who were going to do something about it long ago, but lobbyist from the Pharm Industry paid them off to NOT legislate it away....I can't discuss it here...but you get my drift....They should be held accountable too because it wouldnt have ended up as large as the crisis is today if opiod abuse was stopped early on ......

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

suzyQ3 — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 01:54:18 GMT

Gosh, I love to hear that so many take personal responsibility regarding prescribed meds. But the rest of the mere mortals started on their addictive track by trusting their physicians, until it was too late.

Yes, I also fear for those whose pain demands drugs and hope that they will be able to get them from their physicians, who are now so gunshy.

But I don't blame individuals; I blame the TPTB that promoted these drugs so irresponsibly for so many years.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

suzyQ3 — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 01:56:30 GMT

I see weed and opiods as two very different species.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

Lindsays Grandma — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 04:44:54 GMT

Where to start...I have been living with chronic pain for many years due to failed back surgeries. If I didn't have the pain medicine I take every single day, my life would be unbearable. I am grateful I am able to continue getting my prescriptions every month.

Sadly there are those who do not take their medication as prescribed, they swallow the pills like candy resulting in running out prior to their next appointment. What do these people do? They find other people who will sell their pills for outrageous amounts of money and this goes on month after month. These are the people who now are addicts. This is not the fault of the doctor who prescribed the medication. Let's put the blame where it belongs, on the patients who decided to ignore the rules.

I have personally witnessed how putting themselves in this position has turned their lives and the lives of everyone around them into a living hell. They become terrified of not having their fix and fearful of going into withdrawal. All because they didn't obey the rules.

From the day my prescription is filled I keep track of the time I take a pill and note the time the next one is due in writing. I have done this for all the years I have been taking pain medication.

I can understand why the DEA became involved, however, why punish everyone for those who abused their medication. One size does not fit all...there are people like me whose lives have been turned upside down because of the pain we have and need the relief we get from the medication prescribed for us. Keep in mind that what we take does not take away all of the pain, but enough of it so that we can live normal lives.

Several years ago we visited Florida and I saw people in terrible pain standing on line at a pharmacy being turned away...the pharmacists refused to fill their prescriptions. The pharmacists now are afraid the DEA will shut them down. There are two sides to every story, as I previously stated...one size does not fit all. There is so much more I can say but this post is way too long as it is so I will end it by saying...Please look at the whole picture.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

NicksmomESQ — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 11:32:13 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma I absolutely agree with you that some folks really need the meds & are responsible users. But doctors have literally been pushing these opioids on people who don’t really need them for years.

Several years ago DH had root canal done. The surgeon gave him a prescription for an opioid.DH said he didn’t want it & asked for a prescription for Tylenol.The doctor said it won’t help & refused to give it to him.I had to call his regular dentist to get the prescription!!

I had a mole removed from my scalp. The surgeon’s P.A. handed me a bottle of meds already filled in my name by the hospital pharmacy. I said no thanks.His response was “you already paid for it you may as well take it”. I left it there.I survived on Advil for a few days. I also called my insurance company & told them what happened.They were billed for it & refused to pay for it.

Re: 💉 Johnson & Johnson 💊

PINKdogWOOD — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 12:57:06 GMT

I watched on cbsnews this morning in the interview w/OK Attny saying J&J had thier own opium fields they harvested from to make these pills.