Johnson and Johnson ' s Latest Ethical Misadventures: Settled Kickback Allegations, Reportedly Concealed Knowledge of Adverse Effects of a " Sacred Cow " Product

Giant pharmaceutical/ biotechnology/ device company Johnson& Johnson has its famous" credo " which starts withWe believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services.  In meeting their needs everything we do must be of high quality..Nonetheless, the company has a long history of ethical misadventures (lookhere, and see appendix below).  Now late in 2018,  we note two more Johnson& Johnson misadventures. In chronological order,$360 Million Settlement of Allegations of Kickbacks to Medicare/ Medicaid Patients to Support Use of Extremely Expensive DrugThe story,per the New York Times, was that Actelion, a drug maker purchased by Johnson& Johnson in 2017, in 2014-2015 hadraised the price of its main drug, Tracleer, by nearly30 times the rate of inflation. Tracleer, which is prescribed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, sells in pharmacies for an average cash price of about $14,500 for 60 tablets, according to the website GoodRx.But to facilitate charging such high prices, pharmaceutical companiesoften help patients pay their out-of-pocket costs through coupons or other financial assistance. These payments are not just about benevolence — they also help blunt the outrage over rising drug prices by limiting how much patients have to pay. Insurers then cover most of the cost.But federal anti-kickback laws prohibit companies from giving such financial assist...
Source: Health Care Renewal - Category: Health Management Tags: adulterated drugs adverse effects deception impunity Johnson and Johnson kickbacks legal settlements Source Type: blogs