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Pfizer To Pay $55M In Misbranding Case

The Justice Department says Pfizer Inc. will pay $55 million to resolve allegations that Wyeth LLC promoted the drug Protonix for uses that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer acquired Wyeth in October 2009. Wyeth obtained FDA approval to promote Protonix only for short-term treatment of erosive esophagitis.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department says Pfizer Inc. will pay $55 million to resolve allegations that Wyeth LLC promoted the drug Protonix for uses that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer acquired Wyeth in October 2009.

Wyeth obtained FDA approval to promote Protonix only for short-term treatment of erosive esophagitis. The condition is associated with gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Wyeth allegedly promoted Protonix for all forms of GERD from February 2000 to June 2001.

GERD is a condition in which food or liquid leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus.


RI to get $648K in national settlement with Pfizer 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island is getting nearly $648,000 under a national settlement with Pfizer Inc., over allegations the pharmaceutical company unlawfully promoted two of its drugs.

State Attorney General Peter Kilmartin said Wednesday the money is part of a $42.9 million consent judgment that he and 33 other attorneys general reached with Pfizer. The states allege in the settlement that Pfizer used unfair and deceptive practices in promoting Zyvox, an antibacterial agent, and Lyrica, which is used to treat fibromyalgia.

Kilmartin's office says it has reached settlements this year totaling some $5.7 million with major drug companies for unfair and deceptive practices in promoting and marketing drugs.

He says doctors and patients have to be able to trust drug companies' information and that misleading claims put patients' lives in jeopardy.

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