Pharmaceutical Company Celgene Settles Suit for $280 Million
The Associated Press is reporting that Celgene Corp. has agreed to pay $280 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit alleging the pharmaceutical company committed fraud promoting a drug with a notorious history that was re-purposed to treat leprosy and another therapy for unapproved cancer treatments.
The agreement, announced by federal prosecutors, came out of a lawsuit filed by a former Celgene saleswoman who said Celgene submitted false claims to Medicare and health care programs in 28 states and Washington, D.C.
“The lawsuit filed by Beverly Brown was brought on behalf of the U.S. government under a federal whistleblower law. She could receive as much as $84 million as her share of the settlement,” writes Brian Melley.