A trial in Cleveland County, Oklahoma recently concluded with Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay a $572 million settlement for its role in the opioid crisis.
It is the third case in Oklahoma to end with a pharmaceutical company being held liable for paying damages related to the abuse of opioids and the ensuing deaths caused by overdose.
The other two companies, Purdue Pharma and Teva Pharmaceuticals, were tabbed with $270 and $85 million dollar lawsuits.
Sam Pizzigati, an associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, joined the Real News to discuss the lawsuits, big pharma, and how we can ensure that money from these settlements is used to help the people and communities most impacted by the opioid crisis.