Department Of Justice

DOJ hit pharmas for $2.2 billion in 2011 False Claims Act cases

Matthew Arnold December 20, 2011

Pharmas shelled out $2.2 billion in False Claims Act fines and settlements with the Justice Department this year as the feds' healthcare fraud haul hit an all-time high.

Former sales rep to argue First Amendment protection in court

Ben Comer December 02, 2010

A federal appeals court has agreed to hear oral arguments about whether the First Amendment protects a sales rep's ability to share information about off-label uses of a drug.

CIAs pressure pharma to rethink sales rep compensation

Ben Comer October 05, 2010

Novartis's recent off-label settlement with the Department of Justice -- to the tune of $422 million -- also included the signing of a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) requiring the Swiss-based manufacturer to review incentive-based compensation for reps, and to examine "the extent to which compensation is based on product performance," according to the CIA.

Forest Labs to pay $313 million in DOJ settlement

Ben Comer September 16, 2010

Forest Laboratories is the latest pharmaceutical company to settle unlawful marketing allegations with a multi-million dollar payout - over $313 million - to the Department of Justice (DOJ), just two weeks after Allergan agreed to pony up $600 million to settle illegal Botox marketing practices.

Allergan drops FDA lawsuit as part of off-label settlement

Ben Comer, Matthew Arnold September 02, 2010

Before Allergan could begin settlement negotiations with the Department of Justice (DOJ) -- which ended with an agreement to pay $600 million on Wednesday -- DOJ required the Botox manufacturer to first withdraw a First Amendment lawsuit against the FDA filed last October.

Sales reps at J&J unit to get 'ride-alongs' as part of CIA

Ben Comer May 04, 2010

As part of an $81 million off-label settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OMJPI) sales reps will be buddied up with internal compliance monitors tasked with observing and reporting the rep's behavior out in the field.

Pfizer pays $2.3 billion for deceptive marketing practices

Anthony Vecchione September 02, 2009

The world's largest pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, and its subsidiary Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc. have agreed to pay $2.3 billion, the largest healthcare fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice, to resolve criminal and civil liability charges arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products, the Justice Department announced today.