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Biogen Agrees To One Of Largest FCA Settlements Without DOJ Intervention

 
• By Brenda Sandburg

Company to pay $900m to resolve claims it paid kickbacks to physicians to induce them to prescribe its multiple sclerosis drugs. Whistleblower sought damages based on the number of prescriptions written after a healthcare provider received a kickback from Biogen.

Whistleblower
Biogen agrees to settle whistleblower suit alleging it provided kickbacks to get physicians to prescribe its multiple sclerosis drugs • Source: Shutterstock

While the US Department of Justice decided not to intervene in a whistleblower False Claims Act complaint against Biogen, Inc., it is reaping one of the biggest payouts in an FCA settlement in recent years. Biogen agreed to pay $900m to resolve claims that it paid kickbacks to physicians to encourage them to prescribe its three multiple sclerosis drugs.

The settlement, announced on 20 July, shows that companies are vulnerable even when the government opts not to pursue a case and can face extensive liability.

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