April 30, 2019

Pharma company US WorldMeds LLC has agreed to pay $17.5 million and enter into a corporate integrity agreement to resolve allegations that it improperly induced the use of its drugs Apokyn, used to treat Parkinson’s, and Myobloc.  The company was alleged to have improperly used a foundation to pay Apokyn copayments for Medicare beneficiaries, knowing that it was the only donor to the foundation’s Parkinson’s Disease fund and that virtually all of the fund’s donations were spent on Medicare Apokyn patients.  In addition, the company was alleged to have paid kickbacks to physicians, including excessive speaking and consulting fees, to induce them to prescribe Apokyn and Myobloc. The litigation was initiated under the False Claims Act by whistleblowers, who will receive $3.15 million of the settlement.  DOJ; USAO Conn

Tagged in: Anti-Kickback and Stark, Drug and DME Pricing, FCA Federal, Pharma Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,