NORMAN, Okla./BOSTON (Reuters) - An Oklahoma judge on Monday ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $572.1 million to the state for its part in fuelling an opioid epidemic by deceptively marketing addictive painkillers, a sum that was substantially less than investors had expected, driving up J&J's shares.
The state's attorney general had filed the lawsuit, seeking $17 billion to address the impact of the drug crisis on Oklahoma.
It had been considered a bellwether for other litigation nationwide over the opioid epidemic.