A settlement has reached with the Department of Justice over AstraZeneca Seroquel investigation and British pharmaceutical company. An anti psychotic medication, Seroquel, has come under fire for being marketed for unapproved purposes. The drug maker will be paying the Department of Justice $ 520 million in restitution. The drug itself, which sold about $ 4.9 billion last year, probably won’t need guaranteed loans to cover the expenses.
The drug being marketed for purposes other than those it is approved for is what the qualm over AstraZeneca Seroquel is situated on. The DOJ says that there were physician kickbacks of payday money for those that prescribed the drug for off label purposes. This specific drug is designed to be used to treat schizophrenia and some bi-polar diseases. If physicians think it is appropriate, they are allowed to prescribe medication for off label use. The FDA considers it a no-no to market pharmaceutical drugs for off label uses.
Uses for Seroquel off label
Part of the investigation is to see whether AstraZeneca Seroquel was marketed for different uses that haven’t been approved for it. According to the Wall Street Journal , AstraZeneca marketed the drug for off label uses, like to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, aggression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. The Justice Departments seems to think that pharmaceutical giant gave kickbacks to physicians for prescribing it for those purposes. AstraZeneca set aside $ 520 million in October for the purposes of a settlement, but it denies the allegations.
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 and every drug has alternate use so it is widespread to use medication for off label purposes. For instance, although most individuals use aspirin to thin blood or as a pain reliever, it also can be used to treat heart disease. Physicians often prescribe drugs for off label uses which is fine. However, the idea that a physician would prescribe drug for their own money purposes when something else is accessible, is really troubling.
So what’s the impact?
Not much will probably come of it since AstraZeneca Seroquel set aside cash for a settlement months ago. The company can be complying with federal instructions and will disclose any payments to physicians.
Article Resources
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100427-717519.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesEurope
