Suzanne E. Durrell, Boston, Mass. Law Office for Whistleblower and False Claims Act Information





› What is a Whistleblower? › What is the False Claims Act? › What does Qui Tam mean? › Do you have a case? The False Claims Act is the primary tool to help expose fraud in government programs from healthcare to homeland defense, from public utilities to public works, while protecting those who step forward. Learn more »	The Law Office of Suzanne E. Durrell specializes in the areas of Whistleblower "qui tam" representation and False Claims Act and related white-collar litigation. Access the distinguished experience and expertise of a former top fraud prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice. Learn more » Practice areas include: › False Claims Act › Qui Tam/Whistleblower Litigation › Health Care Fraud › Government Contract Fraud › White Collar Crime	Biography Awards Important Settlements Significant Reported Cases In the News Contact



	Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the False Claims Act Download the 25th Anniversary Brochure prepared by the Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund (PDF)

ELAN / EISAI NEWS
Feb. 28, 2011: Elan Convicted Over Marketing of Zonegran
Elan pleads guilty to misdemeanor violation of federal law in the marketing of epilepsy drug.
• DOJ US Attorney -- Elan Pharmaceuticals Pleads Guilty, Sentenced for Off-Label Marketing of Zonegran
• ABC News -- Elan Convicted Over Marketing of Zonegran

Dec. 15, 2010: Elan & Eisai Whistleblower Cases Settle for $203 Million and $11 Million
Law firms assist successful prosecution of off-label marketing case of anti-seizure drug Zonegran, first by Elan Corp., then later by Eisai, Inc., which bought the rights to the drug from Elan in 2004.
• Elan & Eisai Whistlblower Case Press Announcement (PDF)
• Pharma Cos. to Pay $214.5M to Resolve Allegations of
Off-Label Promotion of Epilepsy Drug -- US Attorney PR (PDF)
• Related News about the Elan & Eisai Whistleblower Case

AMGEN ARANESP KICKBACK NEWS
Boston attorneys Suzanne E. Durrell, Robert M. Thomas, Jr., and Rory Delaney, and Los Angeles attorneys Charles F. Kester and Lawrence M. Isenberg of the law firm Kester & Isenberg, announced today the filing of an amended complaint against biotechnology company Amgen Inc. and others, in a case pending before United District Court Judge William G. Young in Boston. The amended complaint, filed pursuant to federal and state False Claims Acts by Relator Kassie Westmoreland, a former Amgen employee, is filed the same day as a consolidated complaint in intervention brought by fifteen state Attorney General offices. These state plaintiffs recently filed notices of intervention in Ms. Westmoreland's lawsuit.

5 Amgen Execs Plead the Fifth on Alleged Kickbacks Described in Spreadsheet
BNet

Amgen sued by California and 14 other states over anemia drug
Los Angeles Times

Amgen Is Accused of Illegal Kickbacks
New York Times

View latest news stories and blog analysis on this topic as aggregated by Google News

FOREST LABORATORIES FRAUD NEWS

MAR. 2, 2011: Forest Pharmaceuticals Sentenced to Pay $164 Million for Criminal Violations

Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc. was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner to pay a criminal fine of $150 million and forfeit assets of $14 million following the company’s guilty plea in November 2010 to one felony count of obstructing justice, one misdemeanor count of distributing an unapproved new drug in interstate commerce and one misdemeanor count of distributing a misbranded drug in interstate commerce.

SEPT. 15, 2010: Forest paying $313 million in government probe

Forest Laboratories Inc. said Wednesday it finalized a deal for $313 million with the Justice Department in fines and a settlement over allegations it gave kickbacks to doctors who prescribed its antidepressants.

View latest news stories and analysis on this topic as aggregated by Google News

ARCHIVE NEWS COVERAGE

Read the United States' DOJ Announcement. (PDF)
A Complaint was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts against a New York pharmaceutical company for alleged False Claims Act violations arising from the company’s marketing the drugs Celexa and Lexapro for unapproved pediatric use and for paying kickbacks to induce physicians to prescribe the drugs.
Complete Press Release. (PDF)

Read the United States' Complaint. (PDF)

RELATED STORIES
Forest says 11 states will join fraud lawsuit
Forest Laboratories Inc. said Thursday 11 states and the District of Columbia are planning to become plaintiffs in a lawsuit that alleges the company committed fraud against federal health plans.
Complete AP story on FORBES site.

Drug Maker Is Accused of Fraud
The Justice Department charged the drug maker Forest Laboratories on Wednesday with defrauding the government of millions of dollars by illegally marketing the popular antidepressants Celexa and Lexapro for unapproved uses in children and teenagers.
Complete story on The New York Times site.

$2.3 BILLION PFIZER SETTLEMENT NEWS

Pfizer Inc. will pay approximately $2.3 billion dollars to settle claims it misbranded one of its pain killer drugs, promoted the off label use of numerous drugs, and paid kickbacks to doctors to induce or reward the prescription of Pfizer drugs. Boston attorneys Suzanne E. Durrell, Robert M. Thomas, Jr. and Rory Delaney represent one of the whistleblowers, Blair Collins, who brought kickback allegations regarding the drugs Lipitor, Norvasc, Viagra, Zithromax, and Zyrtec, and whose information helped form the basis for today's settlement.
Read the Pfizer Settlement Press Release | (PDF)

Official DOJ Pfizer Announcement

RELATED STORIES
VIDEO: Drug maker Pfizer to pay record $2.3 billion penalty over promotions
(NECN: Washington) - Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, will pay a record $2.3 billion civil and criminal penalty over unlawful prescription drug promotions. The...

Pfizer To Pay $2.3B To Settle Case On Drug Marketing - DOJ
Wall Street Journal - WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has agreed to pay $2.3 billion to settle charges that it illegally ...

Pfizer Pays $2.3 Billion to Settle Marketing Case
New York Times

Pfizer settles drug-promotion case for $2.3 billion
MarketWatch