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From the Associated Press:
A multibillion dollar medicare fraud case has been revived. Two former reps from J&J alleged kickbacks were paid to oncologists and other doctors in an effort to boost sales of Procrit/Eprex. These drugs are used to stimulate red blood cell growth and are often administered to patients who have cancer, AIDS or are undergoing kidney dialysis.
A couple of interesting facts about the case are that the federal government has put restrictions on which patients can access the drug due to the potential for harm to patients, including allowing cancer to progress. This case involves inducing doctors to over prescribe, in some cases by one third, the drugs to patients in order to improve sales. It is also noted that this wasn't an exception, this is actually how the drug was marketed.
The drug was delivered in the doctors office at a discount, but then medicare was charged the full amount.
It is J&J's third leading drug with sales of up to 2.5 billion dollars, annually.
J&J's competition is Amgen with their drug Aranesp.
Hmm, Amgen, who recently gave 5 million dollars to Senator Edward Kennedy for his Institute, in exchange for Kennedy to convince congress to increase patent protection laws, which delays the approval of generics.... Funny how Kennedy who has worked all his life to get health care to the people, can be made to forget is life's passion and principles for 5 million dollars - but I digress....
Patients health were knowingly jeopardized by having doctors over prescribe the drug. What this case must do is bring to light any oncologist who participated in this plan. Presumably it was quite effective. in 2006 J&J's sales of Procrit were 3.6 billion dollars.....
Friday, August 14, 2009
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The beat goes on....Based on some of the other qui tam cases, it feels like 2000-02 were peak years for scuz. Some "insiders" have suggested it got a bit better after that. We'll see. These were, of course, the same years Bush became Prez, Troy took the helm, and Vioxx was skating to billions (while Merck got FDA to delay label change).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this is not that surprising. It’s certainly not the first and probably won’t be the last time we read something similar. “We” read about it, but the general public has no clue. That’s how these creeps are being protected. I say unleash the American public on them. That is the only way to cure this disease.
ReplyDeletePeople sure act funny when they get a little money.
Too bad these companies don't hold town halls...
ReplyDeleteHey, what's the difference between a Hockey Mom and a Drug Company?
ReplyDeleteDrug companies don't kill moose.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't anyone want to talk about lipstick? It's the one joke I know, and no one wants to talk about lipstick. This is really upsetting. Real Americans would talk about lipstick. But no one here wants to talk about lipstick.
ReplyDeleteBut that's OK. Because we have a Pitbull in the family who wears lipstick. Not a Pitbullwinkle. A pitbull. In drag. And there's nothing wrong with that. Nothing. So leave my kids alone.
Going my way?
ReplyDelete