Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Drug Firms Settle Topomax Case for $81M

(CN) - Two Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries agreed to pay $81 million to settle criminal and civil charges of illegally promoting the epilepsy drug Topamax, federal prosecutors said.

Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical promoted Topamax through its "Doctor for a Day" program, in which it paid outside physicians to join sales reps in office visits and meetings to promote the drug for off-label uses.

Doctors can prescribe drugs for off-label, or unapproved, uses, but drug companies can't promote the drugs for that.

Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceutical will pay $75.4 million to settle civil charges under the False Claims Act.

Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical will pay a $6.1 million criminal fine, for a misdemeanor.

Whistleblowers who filed the cases in Boston will get $9 million from the federal government's share of the recovery.

Categories / Uncategorized

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...