(Gerald Rich/Texas Tribune)
In the state’s largest-ever Medicaid fraud recovery, Johnson & Johnson agreed Thursday to pay Texas $158 million to settle a lawsuit over its efforts to get the schizophrenia drug Risperdal on an approved list for the state’s poorest patients.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and a Pennsylvania whistleblower sued Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, in 2004 over allegations the drug company used faulty research and trips, meals and other perks to convince Texas health officials to put Risperdal on the state’s medication algorithm, which determined which drugs were dispensed at state-run hospitals and institutions.
“Today’s agreement sends a strong message that the state will pursue those who defraud Texas taxpayers,” Abbott said in a statement. “Johnson & Johnson’s scheme to profit from the Medicaid program by overstating the safety and effectiveness of an expensive drug and improperly influencing officials ended up costing taxpayers millions of dollars.”
(To read more see Texas Tribune)
Related Earlier Coverage:
Down the Hatch: Attorney General Say Drugmaker Pushing Antipsychotics on Texas Foster Children (Houston Press)
OTHER HEADLINES:
- Robots: Small Cuts Bring Big Changes in Surgery (Houston Chronicle)
- Chase Takes Helm of GHP, Sets Education as Top Priority (KUHF Public Radio)
- Surrogate Mom Adopts Baby Orangutan at Houston Zoo (Houston Chronicle)
- Texas Health Dept. Assumes Final Say on Doctor Hires (KTRK 13 News)
- Taking the Plunge for Special Olympics (KTRK 13 News)
OPINIONS OF NOTE:
- Loren Steffy: Energy Industry Adversary Seeks Truce – Sort Of (Houston Chronicle)
- Elena Marks: Houston, We Have a Solution to Health Care Access Problem (Houston Chronicle)