CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Forty-three state attorney generals, including West Virginia’s Patrick Morrisey, announced Wednesday a settlement with a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
The $33 million settlement regards the unlawful promotion by McNeil-PPC, Inc. regarding over-the-counter drugs as meeting federal manufacturing standards. The company also allegedly touted the medications as effective when the products were not.
The drugs include Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, St. Joseph Aspirin, Sudafed, Pepcid, Mylanta, Rolaids, Zyrtec and Zyrtec Eye Drops. Some of these products were recalled three times between 2009 and 2010.
West Virginia will receive more than $440,000 from the settlement, according to Morrisey.
“It’s critical that companies meet good manufacturing practices and protect product quality,” he said in a press release.
As part of the statement, McNeil-PPC, Inc. is prohibited from stating its facilities meet federal standards within 12 months of a recall. The subsidiary is also required to notify a state’s attorney generals when recalled drugs are shipped into stores.