Novartis Dodges Whistleblower Lawsuit Regarding Multiple Sclerosis Drug Kickback Claims

  • A federal judge dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Novartis AG NVS of paying doctors kickbacks at "sham" speaker programs to boost prescriptions of its multiple sclerosis blockbuster drug Gilenya.
  • U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood dismissed the whistleblower lawsuit, arguing that former Novartis sales representative Steven Camburn did not provide enough detail to support his claims.
  • Camburn's lawyer says he and his client plan to appeal the decision, adding that they're confident the ruling will be reversed, Reuters reports
  • Gilenya was the company's third-best-selling drug in 2021, bringing in $2.8 billion worldwide out of $51.6 billion in total sales.
  • Camburn sued Novartis in 2013 under the False Claims Act, claiming that Novartis paid doctors up to $3,500 to participate as speakers in purportedly educational speaker events to induce them to prescribe and promote Gilenya.
  • Novartis, in 2020, agreed to pay $729 million to settle similar whistleblower claims related to its speaker program and its diabetes and cardiovascular drugs.
  • Price Action: NVS shares are down 1.55% at $80.68 on the last check Wednesday.
  • Photo via Wikimedia Commons
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