Pharmaceutical industry

Boise – The State of Idaho will receive more than $1.1 million as a result of a consent judgment with Merck and Company, Inc., Attorney General Lawrence Wasden announced today. Wasden’s office filed a consent judgment resolving a three-year investigation by 30 states concerning the company’s deceptive promotion of the drug Vioxx.

The judgment, filed Tuesday in Fourth District Court in Ada County, will largely restrict Merck’s ability to deceptively promote any Merck product.    » read more »

Company was under investigation for marketing of anti-inflammatory drug

May 20, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL - Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today filed a stipulated consent judgment with Merck and Company, Inc. resolving a three-year investigation that targeted the company’s promotion of the prescription drug Vioxx.

Merck Vioxx

The agreement provides $58 million to the 30 participating states, of which Florida’s share will be more than $3.5 million. The judgment, filed today in the Broward County Circuit Court and pending court approval, will largely restrict Merck’s ability to promote any Merck product in a manner that may be deceptive.    » read more »

May 20, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a “groundbreaking settlement” with Merck & Co. which requires the pharmaceutical manufacturer to obtain Federal Drug Administration approval before running any television drug advertisements for new pain medications.

“Merck’s aggressive television advertising convinced hundreds of thousands of consumers to seek Vioxx prescriptions before the drug’s risk were fully understood,” Attorney General Brown said. “Today’s groundbreaking settlement prevents Merck from releasing new television drug advertisements without obtaining federal approval.”    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, in formal testimony today, called again for a prohibition against drug company gifts and other benefits provided to doctors that may improperly influence health care decisions.

Pharmaceutical drug companies spend more than $11 billion annually to market prescription drugs - most of it directed at health care providers.

Pills: Photo by e-magic (CC)

Research has repeatedly found that such gifts influence health care provider decisions.    » read more »

April 2, 2008 -- "The full results of the study released today, showing that Vytorin had no effect on heart disease, put the lie to Merck and Schering-Plough’s $200 million advertising campaign urging Americans to take this drug.

While these corporations profited, Americans were left in the dark. The millions who take this drug, taxpayers who subsidize its use through the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and Merck and Schering-Plough’s investors deserve to know why it took so long for the results to be made public.

This new information underscores our concerns and advances our investigation, which we will pursue aggressively."

Source: New York Attorney General

February 27, 2008 -- Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers today joined the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units in announcing that Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Aventis) has agreed to pay $22.7 million to the United States, the District of Columbia, and 38 states to settle claims that it defrauded the states' Medicaid programs through its drug pricing and marketing practices.    » read more »

Second company previously reached multistate settlement over allegations, bringing total to $11.4 million

February 27, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that Florida has joined 33 other states and the District of Columbia in a $5.9 million antitrust settlement with drug company Barr Pharmaceuticals.    » read more »

Feb. 13, 2008 -- Kansas Attorney General Steve Six today announced an agreement with Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that will settle claims that it defrauded the Kansas Medicaid program through its drug pricing and marketing practices. Kansas will receive $743,209.81 through the settlement.

“Cases like this will show many in the pharmaceutical industry that we will not tolerate abuse of the system, fraud or creative pricing at the expense of the Kansas Medicaid Program and Kansas citizens,” Six said.    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has agreed to pay $22.7 million plus interest to settle claims that it defrauded state Medicaid programs by illegally inflating drug prices. Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced today that the Utah Medicaid Program has received a check for $66,955 from the settlement. The remaining money is being split between the federal government, District of Columbia and 37 other states.    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- (ALBUQUERQUE)-Aventis Pharmaceuticals. Inc. (Aventis) has agreed to pay $22.7 million plus interest to the United States, the District of Columbia and 38 States to settle claims that it defrauded the states' Medicaid programs through its drug pricing and marketing practices.    » read more »

February 11, 2008 -- Medicaid fraud cases against Merck and Aventis recover money for health care, schools Raleigh: More than $23 million will benefit North Carolina’s Medicaid Program and public schools thanks to settlements with two pharmaceutical companies, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced today.

“Drug makers shouldn’t cut corners with a program the helps the neediest among us,” Cooper said. “Schemes like these hurt taxpayers and drive up health care costs for all of us."    » read more »

February 8, 2008 - Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell announced today that Vermont will receive $3,881,945.00 as part of two separate global settlements totaling $649 million with Merck & Co., Inc. The entire Vermont settlement will be split between Vermont Medicaid and the federal government. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government.    » read more »

February 7, 2008 -- Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers today announced that the State of Oregon Medicaid Program will receive approximately $1.75 million as part of two national settlements with Merck & Co., Inc. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government. Merck is the manufacturer of the drugs Zocor, Vioxx, and Pepcid.    » read more »

February 08, 2008 -- (ALBUQUERQUE) -- New Mexico Attorney General Gary King today announced thatNew Mexico will receive $716,071 as part of two separate global settlements totaling $649 million with Merck & Co., Inc. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government.    » read more »

February 07, 2008 -- OLYMPIA - Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna in conjunction with 48 other states, the District of Columbia and the federal government, today announced a settlement with Merck & Co., Inc. Merck is the manufacturer of the drugs Zocor, Vioxx, and Pepcid. The announcement resolves allegations that the company failed to pay rebates due state Medicaid Programs under the Federal Medicaid Drug Rebate statute. Washington will receive more than $7.4 million as part of two separate global settlements totaling $649 million.    » read more »