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Novartis has agreed in principle to pay $390 million to settle U.S. allegations that it used kickbacks to speciality pharmacies to push sales of some drugs, the Swiss company said on Tuesday, hitting third-quarter earnings. The U.S. Department of Justice had sued Novartis in the Manhattan federal court, saying the world's biggest seller of prescription drugs sought illegally to boost sales of drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid. (Miller, 10/27)

U.S. health regulators said on Monday that there was no evidence of increased cardiovascular risks related to Novartis AG's treatment, Stalevo, for Parkinson's disease. Recommendations for using the drug, which won U.S. approval in 2003, will remain the same on the labels, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, after examining data from a required clinical trial and one additional study. (10/26)

Four U.S. senators asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether suppliers of saline solution have illegally inflated prices to exploit a chronic shortage of the hospital staple. The senators sent a letter Monday to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez stating that prices for saline have risen 200% to 300% since a shortage began in late 2013. The letter was signed by two Democrats— Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota-—and two Republicans from Utah— Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch. (Loftus, 10/26)