Pfizer Said to Settle Drug Marketing Case...

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Drug-Lawsuit.html

May 13, 2004

Pfizer Said to Settle Drug Marketing Case

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 10:13 a.m. ET

BOSTON (AP) -- Pfizer Inc. has agreed to plead guilty to charges that

Warner-Lambert, the company it acquired four years ago, flouted federal law

by promoting non-approved uses for one of its drugs, a source familiar with

the deal said.

Under the agreement to be announced Thursday by the U.S. Attorney's office

in Boston, Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, has agreed to

plead guilty to violating the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act and pay an

undisclosed amount to settle the case, said the source, who spoke on

condition of anonymity.

Company officials had previously said they were setting aside at least $400

million for the settlement.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported

Thursday that Pfizer will pay about $430 million in fines in one of the

largest Medicaid-fraud settlements.

The penalty would be broken down into a $240 million criminal fine and $152

million in civil fines to be shared among state and federal Medicaid

agencies and a whistleblower who first reported the marketing abuses to

authorities. Another $38 million would go to state consumer-protection

agencies, the Journal said.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment on the

settlement.

The case began in 1996, when microbiologist lin filed a

whistleblower lawsuit against Parke-, and its parent company,

Warner-Lambert, alleging the company ignored federal law in the 1990s with

an illegal marketing plan used to drive up sales of the anti-seizure drug

Neurontin.

The lawsuit alleged that Parke- adopted a plan to step up publicity

about Neurontin's effectiveness for uses that were not approved by the Food

and Drug Administration, including relieving pain, headaches, bipolar

disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. While doctors can prescribe drugs

for any use, the promotion of drugs for these so-called ``off-label uses''

is prohibited by the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act.

In the 1990s, Neurontin was approved only as an epilepsy drug to be used in

conjunction with other drugs.

Pfizer has repeatedly noted that the activity alleged in lin's lawsuit

and charged by prosecutors was made before it bought Warner-Lambert in 2000

and assumed the company's liability in the case.

lin, who worked as a Parke- medical liaison for about four months

in 1996, alleged that the company's publicity plan for Neurontin included

paying doctors to put their names on ghostwritten articles about Neurontin

and to fly them to lavish resorts as ``educational'' trips. He said the

company also paid doctors hefty speakers' fees as part of its promotion.

One doctor received almost $308,000 to speak at conferences about the drug.

Neurontin's sales soared from $97.5 million in 1995 to nearly $2.7 billion

in 2003.

Shares of Pfizer fell 29 cents to $35.42 in morning trading on the New York

Stock Exchange.

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[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Drug-Lawsuit.html

May 13, 2004

Pfizer Said to Settle Drug Marketing Case

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 10:13 a.m. ET

BOSTON (AP) -- Pfizer Inc. has agreed to plead guilty to charges that

Warner-Lambert, the company it acquired four years ago, flouted federal law

by promoting non-approved uses for one of its drugs, a source familiar with

the deal said.

Under the agreement to be announced Thursday by the U.S. Attorney's office

in Boston, Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, has agreed to

plead guilty to violating the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act and pay an

undisclosed amount to settle the case, said the source, who spoke on

condition of anonymity.

Company officials had previously said they were setting aside at least $400

million for the settlement.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported

Thursday that Pfizer will pay about $430 million in fines in one of the

largest Medicaid-fraud settlements.

The penalty would be broken down into a $240 million criminal fine and $152

million in civil fines to be shared among state and federal Medicaid

agencies and a whistleblower who first reported the marketing abuses to

authorities. Another $38 million would go to state consumer-protection

agencies, the Journal said.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment on the

settlement.

The case began in 1996, when microbiologist lin filed a

whistleblower lawsuit against Parke-, and its parent company,

Warner-Lambert, alleging the company ignored federal law in the 1990s with

an illegal marketing plan used to drive up sales of the anti-seizure drug

Neurontin.

The lawsuit alleged that Parke- adopted a plan to step up publicity

about Neurontin's effectiveness for uses that were not approved by the Food

and Drug Administration, including relieving pain, headaches, bipolar

disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. While doctors can prescribe drugs

for any use, the promotion of drugs for these so-called ``off-label uses''

is prohibited by the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act.

In the 1990s, Neurontin was approved only as an epilepsy drug to be used in

conjunction with other drugs.

Pfizer has repeatedly noted that the activity alleged in lin's lawsuit

and charged by prosecutors was made before it bought Warner-Lambert in 2000

and assumed the company's liability in the case.

lin, who worked as a Parke- medical liaison for about four months

in 1996, alleged that the company's publicity plan for Neurontin included

paying doctors to put their names on ghostwritten articles about Neurontin

and to fly them to lavish resorts as ``educational'' trips. He said the

company also paid doctors hefty speakers' fees as part of its promotion.

One doctor received almost $308,000 to speak at conferences about the drug.

Neurontin's sales soared from $97.5 million in 1995 to nearly $2.7 billion

in 2003.

Shares of Pfizer fell 29 cents to $35.42 in morning trading on the New York

Stock Exchange.

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press | Home | Privacy Policy | Search |

Corrections | Help | Back to Top

[Guest guest]

Today is stating his ZOLOFT journey with our friendly Pfizer

Inc....

is my Grandson; he is seven years and has been testing now

for 5 yrs. for some high function Autism condition - Now the team of

Doctors want to control his serotonin flow using ZOLOFT. I'm looking

at some ZOLOFT on-line study data and I am not happy with the

input... I'll keep checking your Links...

> http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Drug-Lawsuit.html

>

> May 13, 2004

>

> Pfizer Said to Settle Drug Marketing Case

> By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

>

> Filed at 10:13 a.m. ET

>

> BOSTON (AP) -- Pfizer Inc. has agreed to plead guilty to charges

that

> Warner-Lambert, the company it acquired four years ago, flouted

federal law

> by promoting non-approved uses for one of its drugs, a source

familiar with

> the deal said.

>

> Under the agreement to be announced Thursday by the U.S.

Attorney's office

> in Boston, Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, has

agreed to

> plead guilty to violating the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act and pay

an

> undisclosed amount to settle the case, said the source, who spoke

on

> condition of anonymity.

>

> Company officials had previously said they were setting aside at

least $400

> million for the settlement.

>

> The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter,

reported

> Thursday that Pfizer will pay about $430 million in fines in one

of the

> largest Medicaid-fraud settlements.

>

> The penalty would be broken down into a $240 million criminal fine

and $152

> million in civil fines to be shared among state and federal

Medicaid

> agencies and a whistleblower who first reported the marketing

abuses to

> authorities. Another $38 million would go to state consumer-

protection

> agencies, the Journal said.

>

> A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment

on the

> settlement.

>

> The case began in 1996, when microbiologist lin filed a

> whistleblower lawsuit against Parke-, and its parent company,

> Warner-Lambert, alleging the company ignored federal law in the

1990s with

> an illegal marketing plan used to drive up sales of the anti-

seizure drug

> Neurontin.

>

> The lawsuit alleged that Parke- adopted a plan to step up

publicity

> about Neurontin's effectiveness for uses that were not approved by

the Food

> and Drug Administration, including relieving pain, headaches,

bipolar

> disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. While doctors can

prescribe drugs

> for any use, the promotion of drugs for these so-called ``off-

label uses''

> is prohibited by the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act.

>

> In the 1990s, Neurontin was approved only as an epilepsy drug to

be used in

> conjunction with other drugs.

>

> Pfizer has repeatedly noted that the activity alleged in

lin's lawsuit

> and charged by prosecutors was made before it bought Warner-

Lambert in 2000

> and assumed the company's liability in the case.

>

> lin, who worked as a Parke- medical liaison for about

four months

> in 1996, alleged that the company's publicity plan for Neurontin

included

> paying doctors to put their names on ghostwritten articles about

Neurontin

> and to fly them to lavish resorts as ``educational'' trips. He

said the

> company also paid doctors hefty speakers' fees as part of its

promotion.

>

> One doctor received almost $308,000 to speak at conferences about

the drug.

>

> Neurontin's sales soared from $97.5 million in 1995 to nearly $2.7

billion

> in 2003.

>

> Shares of Pfizer fell 29 cents to $35.42 in morning trading on the

New York

> Stock Exchange.

>

> Copyright 2004 The Associated Press | Home | Privacy Policy |

Search |

> Corrections | Help | Back to Top

[Guest guest]

Today is stating his ZOLOFT journey with our friendly Pfizer

Inc....

is my Grandson; he is seven years and has been testing now

for 5 yrs. for some high function Autism condition - Now the team of

Doctors want to control his serotonin flow using ZOLOFT. I'm looking

at some ZOLOFT on-line study data and I am not happy with the

input... I'll keep checking your Links...

> http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Drug-Lawsuit.html

>

> May 13, 2004

>

> Pfizer Said to Settle Drug Marketing Case

> By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

>

> Filed at 10:13 a.m. ET

>

> BOSTON (AP) -- Pfizer Inc. has agreed to plead guilty to charges

that

> Warner-Lambert, the company it acquired four years ago, flouted

federal law

> by promoting non-approved uses for one of its drugs, a source

familiar with

> the deal said.

>

> Under the agreement to be announced Thursday by the U.S.

Attorney's office

> in Boston, Pfizer, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, has

agreed to

> plead guilty to violating the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act and pay

an

> undisclosed amount to settle the case, said the source, who spoke

on

> condition of anonymity.

>

> Company officials had previously said they were setting aside at

least $400

> million for the settlement.

>

> The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter,

reported

> Thursday that Pfizer will pay about $430 million in fines in one

of the

> largest Medicaid-fraud settlements.

>

> The penalty would be broken down into a $240 million criminal fine

and $152

> million in civil fines to be shared among state and federal

Medicaid

> agencies and a whistleblower who first reported the marketing

abuses to

> authorities. Another $38 million would go to state consumer-

protection

> agencies, the Journal said.

>

> A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment

on the

> settlement.

>

> The case began in 1996, when microbiologist lin filed a

> whistleblower lawsuit against Parke-, and its parent company,

> Warner-Lambert, alleging the company ignored federal law in the

1990s with

> an illegal marketing plan used to drive up sales of the anti-

seizure drug

> Neurontin.

>

> The lawsuit alleged that Parke- adopted a plan to step up

publicity

> about Neurontin's effectiveness for uses that were not approved by

the Food

> and Drug Administration, including relieving pain, headaches,

bipolar

> disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. While doctors can

prescribe drugs

> for any use, the promotion of drugs for these so-called ``off-

label uses''

> is prohibited by the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act.

>

> In the 1990s, Neurontin was approved only as an epilepsy drug to

be used in

> conjunction with other drugs.

>

> Pfizer has repeatedly noted that the activity alleged in

lin's lawsuit

> and charged by prosecutors was made before it bought Warner-

Lambert in 2000

> and assumed the company's liability in the case.

>

> lin, who worked as a Parke- medical liaison for about

four months

> in 1996, alleged that the company's publicity plan for Neurontin

included

> paying doctors to put their names on ghostwritten articles about

Neurontin

> and to fly them to lavish resorts as ``educational'' trips. He

said the

> company also paid doctors hefty speakers' fees as part of its

promotion.

>

> One doctor received almost $308,000 to speak at conferences about

the drug.

>

> Neurontin's sales soared from $97.5 million in 1995 to nearly $2.7

billion

> in 2003.

>

> Shares of Pfizer fell 29 cents to $35.42 in morning trading on the

New York

> Stock Exchange.

>

> Copyright 2004 The Associated Press | Home | Privacy Policy |

Search |

> Corrections | Help | Back to Top