DOJ Blocks Criminal Charges Against Walmart in Opioid Crisis
A recent ProPublica investigative report calls into question the Trump Administration’s commitment to ending the opioid crisis, criminally charging those responsible, and ensuring that protections are in place to prevent another crisis. Even as President Trump held television news conferences vowing to take a hard stance in combatting the opioid crisis and prosecute pharmaceutical companies […]
Pharma Execs Admits to Deceptive Marketing of Opioids
In a rare admission to PBS Frontline & the Finical Times, a pharmaceutical executive acknowledged that he knowingly orchestrated an illegal scheme to boost sales of a powerful opiate painkiller believing there would be no consequences for him personally. Alec Burlakoff, Insys’ former head of sales received a 26-month sentence for charges related his role in the pharmaceutical company which […]
Sheller on Thom Hartman Radio Show
From The Ring of Fire: Why Is Big Pharma Increasing Your Medicine Prices? By Thom Hartmann – July 17, 2019 The US pays more for medical drugs that in any country in the world. Health in the US is all about making a profit and drug prices have increased dramatically since Trump become president. Drug […]
New Trial for Risperdal Injury Previously Tossed
In another win for plaintiffs injured by Risperdal, a Pennsylvania appellate court reversed a trial courts decision to grant the defendants motion for nonsuit, mid-trial. This decision will send the case back to the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas for retrial. In the 2016 case of T.M. vs Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the trial judge decided mid-trial […]
Oklahoma Sues J&J Over Opioid Crisis
Purdue Pharma is named the main defendant in multiple city, state and local lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies that played a part in the current opioid crisis. The suits claim the drug maker’s aggressive marketing of its opioid painkiller OxyContin began the crisis more than two decades ago. News media has covered the crisis extensively, including John Oliver […]
Temple Law Honors Sheller with Doctor of Humane Letters
Attorney Stephen Sheller, founder of Sheller PC, was honored with a doctor of humane letters degree at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law 2019 Commencement Ceremony on May 16. The Beasley School of Law celebrates Stephen A. Sheller, founding and managing partner of Sheller, P.C. and a passionate advocate for underdog clients. His philanthropic support […]
Record $240M Opioid Settlement Against Purdue Pharma
Purdue Pharma, makers of the opioid painkiller OxyContin, have settled with the state of Oklahoma for a record $240 million. This is Purdue’s third and largest state settlement yet. The drug manufacturer still faces thousands of other pending local, city and state suits, including a 1,600 case consolidated federal suit against Purdue and other drug manufacturers, […]
J&J CEO May Testify in Risperdal Trial
Updated January 30, 2019 The eighth Risperdal case is set to go to trial, this time the stakes are even higher for both sides as the jury may award punitive damages to the plaintiff if wrongful conduct by Johnson & Johnson is proven. “We’re excited about the availability of punitive damages. All along, we thought […]
Conflicts of Interest in Medical Research
In Stephen Sheller’s book Lawyering In Times of Saints and Evil Doers (2015), Sheller tells the story of science for sale, the widespread conflict of interest created when doctors and researchers are influenced by payments they receive from pharmaceutical companies. In 2008, a Congressional inquiry led by Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) exposed the extensive conflict of interest […]
$2.5 M Risperdal Verdict Upheld in Superior Court
The Pennsylvania Superior Court has upheld the 2015 $2.5 million Risperdal verdict for plaintiff Austin Pledger. Pledger’s case was the first Risperdal case to go to trial. Viewed as a huge win for plaintiffs, the decision bodes well for the future litigation of 6,500 plaintiffs whose suits against Janssen Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Johnson & […]
