Oklahoma to continue pursuing legal action against notorious opioid manufacturer

An Oklahoman judge has just denied notorious drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals’ motion to end Oklahoma’s public-nuisance lawsuit, meaning that Oklahoma is set to become the first successful state to bring a pharmaceutical company to trial. This denial comes after drug company’s attorney’s attempt on July 3rd to file a motion faor dismissal, immediately following the state resting its case. “District Judge Thad Balkman on Monday denied a motion from the defendant’s lawyers asking him to end Oklahoma’s public-nuisance lawsuit and rule in favor of the New Brunswick, New Jersey-based company and its subsidiaries,” the Associated Press reports. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter called the result of Johnson & Johnson’s questionable business practices the “worst manmade public health crisis in our state’s history”, adding that “Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries [are] a “kingpin” responsible for the state’s ongoing opioid epidemic”.