Articles by Dietrich Knauth, Tom Hals and Mike Spector

J&J Unit Proposes Independent Exam If It Remains in Bankruptcy

A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary proposed on Friday that it would submit to an independent examination of the corporate restructuring the healthcare giant undertook in an attempt to settle in U.S. bankruptcy court thousands of lawsuits alleging that J&J baby …

Reuters Special Report: J&J’s Secret Plan to Limit Payouts to Cancer Claimants

Johnson & Johnson created a plan last year to limit the financial bleeding from billions of dollars in jury awards to plaintiffs who alleged the company’s Baby Powder and other talc products caused deadly cancers. The healthcare and consumer-goods giant …

Sacklers Close to Agreement Increasing Opioid Settlement in Purdue Bankruptcy

Members of the Sackler family who own Purdue Pharma LP are nearing an agreement to boost their more than $4 billion offer to resolve sprawling opioid litigation after negotiating with states that had objected to terms of the OxyContin maker’s …

Ruling Against Purdue’s Sacklers Puts Controversial Bankruptcy Tactic in Spotlight

A federal judge’s decision to unravel a settlement shielding members of the Sackler family from future opioid litigation could upend a controversial corner of U.S. bankruptcy law: protecting third parties who have not filed for Chapter 11 themselves. In a …

Johnson & Johnson Places Talcum Liabilities Into Bankruptcy

Johnson & Johnson on Thursday put into bankruptcy tens of thousands of legal claims alleging its Baby Powder and other talc-based products caused cancer, offloading the potential liabilities into a newly created subsidiary. J&J put the talc claims into an …

Judge Will Approve Purdue Bankruptcy Plan, Freeing Sacklers From Future Liability Suits

A U.S. judge said on Wednesday he would approve OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP’s bankruptcy reorganization plan, clearing a path to resolve thousands of opioid lawsuits and shielding the company’s wealthy Sackler family owners from future opioid litigation. Bankruptcy Judge …

Ruling on Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy and Opioid Settlement Delayed Until Next Week

A U.S. judge said on Thursday he now anticipates a ruling on OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP’s bankruptcy reorganization plan on Wednesday of next week instead of this week because he needs more oral argument on certain issues. U.S. Bankruptcy …

Judge Declines Plaintiffs’ Bid to Block J&J From Offloading Talcum Liabilities

A U.S. judge declined to stop Johnson & Johnson from taking steps to offload widespread Baby Powder liabilities from the rest of its business, preserving the option for the healthcare company to move thousands of claims from people who used …

J&J Considers Placing Talcum Powder Liabilities Into Bankruptcy: Reuters

Johnson & Johnson is exploring a plan to offload liabilities from widespread Baby Powder litigation into a newly created business that would then seek bankruptcy protection, according to seven people familiar with the matter. During settlement discussions, one of the …

All But a Few States Now Back Purdue Pharma, Sackler Family Bankruptcy Deal

Fifteen more states reached an agreement with Purdue Pharma LP and members of its wealthy Sackler family owners that moved the OxyContin maker a step closer to resolving widespread opioid litigation and exiting bankruptcy protection. All but a handful of …