As lawsuits and investigations pile up concerning alleged illegal marketing of its Risperdal antipsychotic, Johnson & Johnson last month set aside an unspecified amount of money that would be used to settle some of the litigation, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Some claims, by the way, are civil and others are criminal.

Who, exactly, has been looking this issue, though? The answer is more along the lines of ‘who isn’t?’ Peruse pages 25 through 27 (read this) and you will find the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Office of Personnel Management, the US Department of Justice, the US Attorney in Philadelphia and Attorneys General of multiple states have been probing off-label Risperdal marketing for years.

Moreover, J&J notes there are also an unspecified number of pending qui tam, or whistleblower lawsuits, that have been filed and the health care giant has been informed that the feds plans to intervene, or join, the suits and file a superseding complaint. However, J&J also says no such claims have yet been served and no reserve was created specifically for civil False Claims Act claims. But the Texas Attorney General has joined a qui tam lawsuit and a trial begins next month.

J&J previously disclosed last November talks to resolve various investigations (see this). Meanwhile, a South Carolina state court jury recently decided a J&J unit violated consumer protection laws by sending doctors a misleading letter in 2003 about the safety and effectiveness of the Risperdal antipsychotic. The jurors also found warning label info was deceptive and J&J faces $360 million in penalties (back story).

pix thx to AMagill on flickr