Would You Trust A Doctor Who Got Kickbacks To Prescribe Your Drugs?

Coach is Right ^ | 1/20/15 | Michael D. Shaw

[Oldpuppymax]

I’m thinking, “Maybe not.” Yet, this sort of unethical practice goes on all the time. According to physician/activist Roy Poses, MD, there were at least four significant settlements of such cases during the last half of 2014 alone. And, by January 9th of our new year, another high profile case has already been settled. Officially, it is known as U.S. ex rel. Fragoules v. Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Civil Action No. 10-10420 (D. Mass.).

In accordance with the disposition of the case, the US subsidiary of Japanese pharmaceutical firm Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. will pay $39 million to the US federal government and state Medicaid agencies, to settle claims that it paid doctors kickbacks to prescribe certain of its products. Daiichi Sanyo also agreed to adhere to a so-called corporate integrity agreement, whereby a number of compliance programs are instituted to prevent similar abuses from occurring in the future.

The drugs in question are Welchol (cholesterol-lowering); and Benicar, Azor, and Tribenzor (antihypertensives).

Let’s examine some of the legal elements of this case. “Fragoules” is Kathleen Fragoules, who was employed by Daiichi Sankyo as a sales representative from approximately March, 1997 until January, 2010. The case was filed in March, 2010, and is a qui tam action.

“Qui tam” is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur,” meaning “Who sues on behalf of the King as well as for himself.” Such actions are brought by an informer or “relator.” Usually, these cases are filed under some statute which establishes a penalty for particular violations, and monetary damages are split between the relator and the state or other institution. In popular parlance, these relators are known as “whistle-blowers.”

Thus, “U.S. ex rel. Fragoules” denotes that the Feds have instituted the action...

[Sam Gamgee]

I'm from Canada, and we have our faults, but I have read a book or 2 about how big drug companies basically are the number one place of information that doctors get about the drugs they push.

Apparently, and I could be wrong, but this is one of the reason antidepressants are over prescribed in the US. An AD should not really be prescribed to people going through situational depression (death of a spouse, loss of job) but are prescribed all the time. Which is dangerous as, even though doctors and drug companies won't admit it, SSRIs are habit forming. A nice way of saying addictive.