Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
AstraZeneca Agrees To $7.9 Million Settlement In Federal Kickback Case
A U.S. division of British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca will pay the federal government $7.9 million to settle allegations the drug manufacturer and distributor engaged in a kickback scheme to boost sales of one of its popular medications. The civil settlement, announced Wednesday by the Department of Justice, resolves charges that Delaware-based AstraZeneca LP agreed to pay millions of dollars to keep the "sole and exclusive" status of its Nexium heartburn medication held on a list of drugs eligible for coverage by government health care plans. (McCoy, 2/11)
AstraZeneca AZN.LN -0.01% has agreed to pay the federal government $7.9 million to settle allegations the drug maker paid kickbacks to a large pharmacy benefits manager to ensure that its blockbuster Nexium heartburn medication was given the best status on formularies, which are the list of drugs that received preferred coverage (Silverman, 2/11)
Pharmaceutical manufacturer AstraZeneca LP will pay $7.9 million to settle allegations that it engaged in a kickback scheme involving the heartburn medicine Nexium, U.S. Justice Department officials said Wednesday. The settlement stems from a whistleblower lawsuit filed in 2010 on behalf of the government by two former AstraZeneca executives. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Delaware, home to AstraZeneca's U.S commercial headquarters, had remained sealed until this week. (2/11)
