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After pleading guilty to federal charges, a New Jersey pharmaceuticals company will have to pay nearly £15 million (25 million dollars) in criminal and civil fines.
Massachusetts-based Biovail Pharmaceuticals pleaded guilty to charges that it made illegal payments to incite doctors to prescribe a blood pressure drug to patients.
The company was directed to pay a fine of £13.3 million (22.2 million dollars) after admitting to conspiracy and kickback charges, the US attorney’s office in Boston announced.
In addition, it will also shell out a civil penalty of £1.4 million (2.4 million dollars).
According to prosecutors’ allegations, Biovail paid up to £602 (1,000 dollars) each to thousands of physicians and others to encourage them to prescribe or recommend Cardizem LA.
Copyright Press Association 2009
US attorney’s office, Massachusetts
