Qui Tam

Novartis Whistleblower Cases Settle for Over $422 Million

By Nolan and Auerbach

For the third time in one month, we announced another substantial whistleblower recovery on behalf of their clients. Collectively, the cases have returned in excess of $1.4 billion to the US Treasury to reimburse America?s health care programs. During September, we also represented two whistleblowers in a $600 million overall settlement with Allergan, Inc. and one whistleblower in the $300 million overall settlement with Forest Laboratories, Inc. and its subsidiary Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This latest settlement marks the unsealing of our clients? cases against pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, which has agreed to pay $237.5 million to resolve civil allegations that it unlawfully promoted its drug Trileptal for unapproved uses and that it paid illegal kickbacks to physicians to induce them to prescribe other of the company?s drugs: Diovan, Exforge and Tekturna. In addition, the company has agreed to pay a $185 million criminal fine and to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. Nolan & Auerbach, P.A. represented three of the key whistleblowers in this case, which was brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. This settlement also resolves two other qui tam actions raising similar allegations. The Nolan & Auerbach press release contains full details.

For more information about qui tam law and pharmaceutical fraud, contact Nolan and Auerbach, PA.

Full post as published by Pharma 101 - Pharmaceutical Fraud on October 15, 2010 (boomark / email).