Global pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb has been accused of bribing physicians and pharmacists to use their products by offering cash kickbacks, gifts and luxury suites for Los Angeles Lakers games, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
A former Bristol-Myers employee originally filed the California lawsuit in 2007. The state’s Department of Insurance joined the suit, which was made public last week. The suit accuses the pharmaceutical company of paying approximately 15,000 kickbacks to “high prescribing” physicians from 1999 to 2005. The suit also alleges that physicians received tickets and luxury suites for Lakers games, along with balls and autographs from the team’s most famous players.
Bristol-Myers released a statement on the lawsuit, saying it believes the suit has no merit and the company will defend itself vigorously, according to the report.
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones called the suit the largest health insurance fraud case ever pursued by a California state agency.
Read the Los Angeles Times report on Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Read more about pharmaceutical fraud:
– Elan Pharmaceuticals Faces $97M Fine After Pleading Guilty to Off-Label Marketing of Epilepsy Drug
– Former Johnson & Johnson Employee Files Whistleblower Suit Alleging Medicaid Fraud
– Louisiana Attorney General Sues GlaxoSmithKline for Wrongfully Marketing Diabetes Medication
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