NYC jury to decide how much drug company Novartis must pay for discriminating against women

NY jury considers punitive price Novartis must pay

NEW YORK — A lawyer has urged a New York City jury that found Novartis discriminated against women to make the drug company pay hundreds of millions in punitive damages.

Attorney David Sanford told jurors Tuesday that 5,600 current and former Novartis employees represented in the claim should each receive tens of thousands of dollars. Sanford says that would serve as a lesson to Novartis and as a warning to other companies.

Novartis attorney Richard Schnadig (SHNY’-dihg) says the jury already sent a strong message. It concluded Monday that Novartis had discriminated and awarded $3.3 million to a dozen women.

The jury began deliberating punitive damages Tuesday.