AstraZeneca has been slapped with several lawsuits over the past couple of years over the company's widely prescribed antipsychotic medication Seroquel. The company just reached its latest settlement for ''concealing and minimizing'' various potential side effects, such as hyperglycemia and diabetes.
Assistant Attorney General Benamin J. Lee handled the case under the supervision of Jeffrey Powell, the Deputy Bureau Chief of Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau. In addition to concealing such devastating side effects, the drug-maker was also accused of marketing the drug to consumers for high-dosage treatment for off-label uses, such as the treatment of dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, insomnia, and even in pediatric cases.
The settlement, which amounted to a relatively small $68.5 million, will be distributed throughout various states, such as New Jersey, Colorado, Iowa, and others. This is just one of a several settlements incurred by the company for the effects of Seroquel.
Just last month, AstraZeneca settled with 6,000 plaintiffs for $150 million for concealing the fact that Seroquel could cause Diabetes. Last year, the drug company settled for a much larger $520 million for improperly marketing the drug.
''The illegal promotion of drugs for off-label uses and hiding scientific studies that reveal the dangers of pharmaceutical drugs must stop,'' said Schneiderman. ''Today's agreement is a reminder that those who put the health of New Yorkers at risk to make a quick buck will be brought to justice and forced to pay.''
The settlement includes more than a financial payout. It asserts ''powerful injunctive terms'' that will prohibit using financial incentives to encourage doctors to prescribe doctors the drug for off-label uses. Additionally, AstraZeneca must also properly and accurately disclose ''objective and scientifically balanced responses to requests for off-label usage information.''
