Alpharma to pay $42.5 million to resolve allegations on promotion of Kadian in the USA

US drugmaker Alpharma, a subsidiary of King Pharmaceuticals, has agreed to pay $42.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with the marketing of the morphine-based drug, Kadian, the US Justice Department announced yesterday. The settlement resolves allegations that, between January 1, 2000 and December 29, 2008, Alpharma paid health care providers to induce them to promote or prescribe Kadian, and made misrepresentations about the safety and efficacy of the drug, which is used to treat chronic moderate to severe pain.

Under the deal, the proceeds from the settlement will be split between the federal government and various states, with the former receiving roughly $33.6 million to resolve the federal claims and the states receiving approximately $8.9 million to settle their respective claims.

"Illegal marketing of pharmaceutical drugs jeopardizes the public's confidence in our health care system," said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. "All consumers have the right to know that their health care provider's judgment about drugs they should take has not been undermined by misinformation or kickbacks from pharmaceutical manufacturers," he added.