Less than a week before Josh Hicks and his client filed the amended complaint against Johnson & Johnson, the Trump administration announced it was spending nearly half a billion dollars on Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceuticals arm in the race to find a coronavirus vaccine

Medical Lawsuits

o In a March 30, 2020, article, Forbes reported, “The Trump administration is spending nearly half a billion dollars on one company in the race to find a coronavirus vaccine.

“That’s according to a $456 million order with Johnson & Johnson’s Pharmaceuticals arm Janssen, which specified a ‘new vaccine asset for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19),’ Forbes found. It’s the largest reported amount spent on a vaccine project to date, even though the pharma giant hasn’t yet started any clinical trials as other firms have.

“The deal was signed with the Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) on March 27, 2020. It followed another order, made as part of the same contract with Janssen, for $150 million on March 20, 2020, for a ‘new antiviral’ for COVID-19.”[1]

[1] Thomas Brewster, “The U.S. Just Signed A $450 Million Coronavirus Vaccine Contract With Johnson & Johnson,” Forbes, March 30, 2020