|
|
Article: Free samples prove costly.(News)(AstraZeneca agrees to pay $355 million in fines, payments for Zoladex free sample scheme)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Medical Marketing & Media
- Article date:
- August 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Haymarket Media, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
ASTRAZENECA pleaded guilty June 20 to giving doctors free samples of its prostate cancer drug Zoladex, and having them bill Medicare for reimbursement. The company has paid $355 million in fines and payments. Douglas Durand, who worked at AstraZeneca until 1999, was the whistle-blower in the government's case. He will receive $47.5 million.
Last year, when TAP Pharmaceutical pleaded guilty to conspiracy and paid $875 million in fines and restitution to settle charges that involved billing federal agencies for free samples of Lupron, Durand also was the whistle-blower for the prosecution. He was awarded $77 million for his role.
Durand used $36 million ...