Eli Lilly is the new drug giant to be raked over hot coals for improper marketing of its drugs.
Sales notes were made public for the first time in a South Carolina court this week allegedly detailing that Eli Lilly provided a number of incentives to doctors, such as being paid to take part in speakers’ programmes, in return for prescribing the company’s antipsychotic Zyprexa (olanzapine).
State officials allege the company was marketing the drug for off-label use. South Carolina is reportedly seeking to recoup $200 million it claims to have spent on prescribing Zyprexa as a result of the alleged mis-selling.
This week’s hearing came about when Lilly moved to have the case thrown out prior to trial. However, a trial is set to begin 14 September.
Marni Lemons, Lilly Spokeswoman, told Bloomberg.com that the sales notes were taken “out of context” and that there was no evidence of illegal marketing.
The company has already been forced to pay out $1.42 billion in January after a US Justice Department investigation into its marketing of Zyprexa. But South Carolina opted out of this settlement.
This court case follows last week’s announcement that Pfizer is to pay out $2.3 billion for the illegal promotion of a number of drugs, notably withdrawn painkiller Bextra (valdecoxib).
