Department of Justice Joins Whistleblower Suit Against Abbott
posted Fri, 11 Feb 2011We’ve been hearing a lot lately in the press about whistleblower cases against big pharmaceutical companies. But we were surprised to learn this week that the Department of Justice is set to take the lead in a group of lawsuits against Abbott Laboratories.
The lawsuits stem from Abbott’s off-label promotion of Depakote, a drug used to treat seizures and bipolar disorder. In particular, the lawsuit alleges that sales reps and doctors were rewarded for pushing Depakote prescriptions for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Unfortunately, even though public health is clearly at risk in such False Claims lawsuits, it’s rare for the U.S. Department of Justice take a stand. Too often, this Administration has served as a cheerleader for the pharmaceutical industry. We hope that the Abbott lawsuits represent a long-awaited paradigm shift to favor public health rather than big corporations.
Find out more:
DOJ Takes Lead In Lawsuits Accusing Abbott Of Illegal Marketing, Wall Street Journal
Feds Join Lawsuit Over Abbott Off-Label Marketing, Pharmalot
