Drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb, along with a former subsidiary, has agreed to pay a $515 million settlement to shut down federal and state investigations of its drug marketing and pricing practices.
The investigations, which addressed practices in effect between 1994 and 2005, looked at a variety of allegations, including charges that the company marketed anti-psychotic drug Ability for uses not approved by the FDA, such as pediatric use and for treatment of dementia-related psychoses. The company is also accused of both price inflation and mis-reporting prices to Medicaid.
Investigators had also suggested that the pharmaceutical firm had paid what amounted to kickbacks, giving doctors large consulting fees and paying for high-toned travel packages to induce them to prescribe their medications. Former subsidiary Apothecon was also accused of such behavior.
To find out more about the investigation:
- read this Associated Press piece [1]
Related Articles:
Pfizer sued over off-label use of Lipitor. Report [2]
Schering fined $435 million for off-label marketing. Report [3]
Lilly accused of promoting off-label Zyprexa use. Report [4]
Cephalon takes heat for off-label narcotic promotion. Report [5]
Study: Hospitalized kids get off-label drug prescriptions. Report [6]
Links:
[1] http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/shared-gen/ap/Finance_General/Bristol_Myers_Squibb_Settlement.html
[2] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/pfizer-sued-over-off-label-use-of-lipitor/2006-03-29
[3] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/schering-fined-435m-for-off-label-marketing/2007-01-18
[4] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/lilly-accused-of-promoting-off-label-zyprexa-use/2006-12-18
[5] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/cephalon-takes-heat-for-off-label-narcotic-promotion/2006-11-21
[6] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/study-hospitalized-kids-get-off-label-drugs/2007-03-06?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss