Drug company guilty-pays $1.4 billion

2009-01-21 21:26:47 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Drug Related Injuries)

Eli Lilly settles $1.4 billion for FDA violations marketing Zyprexa

Eli Lilly agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle violations of FDA laws. Drug company guilty of illegal marketing.West Palm Beach, FL (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–Eli Lilly has agreed to pay $1.4 billion in violation of regulations and guidelines in promoting Zyprexa as a treatment for dementia. As reported by MarketWatch, Eli Lilly & Co. has plead guilty to charges, by the U.S. Attorney in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, for illegally marketing the medication. Lilly, has earned over $37 billion with Zyprexa, and is guilty of knowingly marketing the drug for the treatment of dementia, which has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Justice Department reached the agreed fine of $1.4 billion.Even though it is not illegal for doctors to prescribe drugs for treatment the FDA has not yet approved, it is illegal for drug companies to market medications for off-label use. Off-label is a term commonly used and defined by Wikipedia www.wikipedia.com as the practice by pharmaceutical companies in prescribing a medication for a purpose outside of the scope of a drug’s approved FDA label. The FDA considers these violations a serious crime.The settlement reached with the United States Justice Department has ordered Eli Lilly to comply with the inspector general’s office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) http://www.hhs.gov/. To maintain compliance with HHS, an independent third party organization will review Eli Lilly’s policies, procedures, and practices and report back to the inspector general under their new corporate integrity agreement.JusticeNewsFlash.com news for South Florida personal injury lawyers