AstraZeneca loses to the Department of Justice: $520 million dollars for marketing SEROQUEL off-label

AstraZeneca settles for $520 million U.S. dollars for marketing of SEROQUEL for off-label use.

VIA, First Word:

"The New York Times on Monday reported that AstraZeneca agreed to pay $520 million to settle allegations brought by the US Department of Justice that the drugmaker marketed Seroquel (quetiapine) for unapproved uses.


Under the agreement, which would formalise an agreement in principle reached last October with the US attorney in Philadelphia, the British drugmaker will sign a corporate integrity agreement with the federal government, but is not subject to criminal charges, according to two people familiar with the case, the New York Times reported.


AstraZeneca was facing two federal investigations and two whistle-blower lawsuits related to Seroquel sales and marketing practices."


Further reading:

PharmaGossip.

AstraZeneca cuts sweet heart deal with DOJ, another worthless CIA (Corporate Integrity Agreement) and some cash for poisoning America - this is just another example of DOJ's special backroom deal making injustice Corporate Style.

PharmaLot,AstraZeneca to pay $520million, has a good comment section thread:

"This is paramount to someone committing a violent felony with malice, intent, and forethought; then getting off with a small fine, probation, and then having their record wiped clean while admitting no culpability for their crime. I believe most would find that completely unacceptable on the part of our judicial system and government.

Then when we have a huge corporation repeatedly and brazenly breaks the law, while injuring or even killing thousands. They get off with another CIA (that they ignored last time they signed one) pay a fine that has already been adsorbed into the price structure of their drug.

Yet some how the people are not completely outraged and protesting in the streets?

welcome to the beginning of the end."

AstraZeneca denies the allegations, the company said in a statement. The company entered into a corporate integrity agreement with the U.S. that will last for five years, the statement said.

"HEAT is the acronym for the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services' Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Team. And they turned up the heat on drugmaker Astra-Zeneca with a fine "to resolve allegations that AstraZeneca illegally marketed the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel for uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration."- Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog

THE U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (AstraZeneca $520million).