Healthy Skepticism Library item: 18628

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

N.C. gets half a million in pharmaceutical marketing settlement
LocalTechWire 2010 Aug 23
http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/news/blogpost/8177648/

Abstract:

North Carolina got a more than $500,000 share of fines paid by pharmaceutical manufacturer InterMune, Inc., as part of a national settlement that the company marketed its drug Actimmune for unapproved uses, Attorney General Roy Cooper said Monday.

Actimmune is approved for treatment of two rare diseases – chronic granulomatous disease (an inherited immune disorder) and severe, malignant osteopetrosis (a disorder that weakens the bones). However, between January 2001 and June 2003, the Food and Drug Administration found that the company promoted the drug as a treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (a condition that harms lung tissue).

Under the settlement, InterMune will pay North Carolina, other states and the federal government a total of $36,944,043.63 million in damages, plus interest, to compensate Medicaid and various federal health care programs. North Carolina has recovered $569,740.05 to support state and federal Medicaid efforts in the state, Cooper said in a statement.