Qui Tam

Pfizer agrees to pay $2.3 billion to settle qui tam and criminal charges

By Brian F. LaBovick

Pfizer Inc has agreed to pay a record settlement of $2.3 billion to resolve a qui tam case and to settle federal and criminal probes. According to the DOJ and several published reports, this involves the alleged Medicare/Medicaid fraud, and the illegal use off-label marketing of multiple drugs.

The fines in this case are $1.3 billion, which are the largest settlement ever paid for a health care fraud claim and a criminal case. In addition to Pfizer, Pharmacia & Upjohn Co, a Pfizer subsidiary was also involved with misbranding a pharmaceutical.

The settlement involves the marketing drugs not included in the label approved by the FDA. Two drugs included in this probe are antibiotic Zyvox and antipsychotic Geodon.

Pfizer has agreed to pay $400 million to settle whistleblower claims involving Zyvox and Geodon drugs. They will pay an additional $33 million for improper marketing with 42 states and the District of Columbia.

The whistleblowers involved in this case will receive over $100 million for their roles in bringing this fraud to light.
 

Full post as published by Whistleblower Law Blog on September 03, 2009 (boomark / email).