Don't mess with Cali Attorney General Kamala D. Harris

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced a $105 million multistate settlement with GlaxoSmithKline, LLC (GSK) to resolve allegations that the company unlawfully promoted its asthma drug, Advair, and antidepressant drugs, Paxil and Wellbutrin. California’s portion of the settlement is the largest of any state, at $7,087,897.For the first time in a settlement with a large pharmaceutical manufacturer, GSK is prohibited from providing incentive payments to its salespeople, which serve to encourage off-label promotion of drugs, and from using paid doctors to promote its products.“Patient care is undermined when pharmaceutical companies promote uses for drugs that have not been approved by the FDA or pay medical professionals to promote certain drugs,” Attorney General Harris said. “This settlement requires GSK to pay a significant penalty and imposes strong new rules designed to prevent future misrepresentations of GSK products.”The Complaint and Stipulated Judgment, submitted today to the San Diego County Superior Court, alleges that GSK violated state consumer protection laws by misrepresenting the uses and qualities of certain drugs. Specifically, GSK shall not:Make, or cause to be made, any written or oral claim that is false, misleading, or deceptive about any GSK product;Make promotional claims, not approved or permitted by the FDA that a GSK product is better, more effective, safer, or has less serious side effects or contraindications t...
Source: PharmaGossip - Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Source Type: blogs