A San Diego-based specialty pharmaceutical company has agreed to pay about $11.4 million to resolve allegations it used sporting event tickets, spa outings and other kickbacks to induce doctors to write prescriptions for its products, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Victory Pharma Inc. agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture of $1.4 million to resolve anti-kickback statute allegations and more than $9.9 million to resolve false-claims allegations in marketing of their pain reliever products Naprelan, Xodol, Fexmid and Dolgic. In return, they avoided criminal and civil liability.
"This resolution underscores the need for physicians to make treatment decisions based on their own independent medical judgment, without being influenced by kickbacks or other improper benefits," said Laura E. Duffy, the U.S. attorney for Southern California.
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3 comments:
this type of thing has been going on for years. perscription drugs have been pushed in this country to the detriment of its unsuspecting patients. unfortunately most patients trust their doctors too much and almost consider them as god. because of this they don't educate themselves and take responsibility for their own health and don't ask questions or demand alternative treatments that are available.
WHO doesn't think the CEO's of all of these pharmaceutical companies DIDN'T know this was going on? They HAVE to look at their P&L's and corporate statements. NONE of them ever wonder what all these expenditures for "entertainment" and "travel" are for? But just like obama, holder, hillary, etc., their underlings will be fined and jailed. THEY (the CEO's) will just get more stock options. "I take full responsibility" only means that I'm throwing SOMEONE under the bus and ducking any personal accountability for what happens under my watch. I want the job as boss, and all the perks and praise, but if the people who work for me (and are SUPERVISED by me and ANSWER to me) do illegal things, well, I take full responsibility, but THEY go to jail. I'll go on vacation to Rio (at, of course, the taxpayers expense). So, I wish that JUST ONE of these dung beetles would define "full RESPONSIBILITY", because THEIR definition doesn't come close to mine.
Pharmaceutical companies are some of the most corrupt companies in the country and they often make payments to doctors for "speaking" and "research". Sometimes the money is for legitimate activity but often it is a corrupt payment to promote their product. Doctors always insist they have the patients best interest at heart but that is not always true. Some local doctors have received large payments from pharmaceutical companies. Dr.Stephen Hearne, a local cardiologist with Delmarva Heart received $19,476 in "speaking" and "research" fees from a single company (Eli Lilly) in the first three months of 2011! At the national level Congress has become so concerned about this practice that they passed legislation that will require public disclosure of all such fees. I think you may see less "research" and "speaking" in the future.
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