The Department of Justice over AstraZeneca Seroquel investigation and the British pharmaceutical business have come to a settlement. An anti psychotic medication, Seroquel, has come under fire for being marketed for unapproved purposes. $ 520 million in restitution is what the drug maker is willing to pay the Department of Justice. They will hardly think about guaranteed loans to cover expenses, such as the drug itself which sold $ 4.9 billion last year.
Wrong purposes is what AstraZeneca Seroquel was marketed for
The drug being marketed for purposes other than those it is approved for is what the qualm over AstraZeneca Seroquel is based on. The DOJ suggests there were kickbacks of payday cash for prescribing the drug for off label purposes. This specific drug is supposed to be used to treat schizophrenia and some bi-polar diseases. If physicians think it is appropriate, they’re allowed to prescribe medication for off label use. The FDA considers it a no-no to market pharmaceutical drugs for off label uses.
Seroquel off label uses
Part of the investigation is into whether AstraZeneca Seroquel was marketed for uses it was not approved for yet. According to the Wall Street Journal , AstraZeneca marketed the drug for off label uses, such as to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, aggression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. The Justice Department believes the pharmaceutical giant also gave kickbacks to physicians to prescribe it for those purposes. AstraZeneca denies the allegations even though they set aside $ 520 million in October for a settlement.
Lawsuits pending
There are lawsuits pending against AstraZeneca concerning side effects of off label use of Seroquel. Seroquel isn’t the first used for off label purposes; each drug has alternate use so it is widespread to use medication for off label purposes. For example, although most individuals use aspirin to thin blood or as a pain reliever, it also could be used to treat heart disease. Physicians often prescribe drugs for off label uses which is fine. Nevertheless, the idea that a physician would prescribe drug for their own cash purposes when something else is available, is really troubling.
What is the impact?
Because the company put the cash aside for an AstraZeneca Seroquel settlement months ago, probably not much will come of it. The business will probably disclose payments to physicians and will comply with federal instructions.
Article Resources
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100427-717519.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesEurope
