January 24, 2010

US Charges Johnson and Johnson

US Charges Johnson and Johnson


In the latest case in the government's campaign against abusive drug-marketing practices, the Justice Department charged Johnson & Johnson with paying "tens of millions of dollars in kickbacks" to a nursing-home pharmacy company to boost sales of J&J drugs to nursing-home patients.

Prosecutors, in a complaint filed in federal court in Boston Friday, accused J&J of illegally paying Omnicare Inc. to buy J&J medicines and recommend their use to nursing homes. Under the arrangements, prosecutors alleged, Omnicare's annual purchases of J&J medicines nearly tripled to more than $280 million.

The drugs included the blockbuster antipsychotic Risperdal, which was prescribed to control anxiety among patients with dementia and Alzheimer's, prosecutors said, though the drug isn't specifically approved for those uses.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703657604575004902853166786.html

JANUARY 16, 2010
J&J Is Accused of Kickbacks to Omnicare on Drug Sales
By JONATHAN D. ROCKOFF
Wall Street Journal

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