A settlement has been reached in a whistleblower class action lawsuit brought against Alpharma Inc who is accused of paing health care providers to induce them to promote or prescribe their drug, Kadian.
According to the settllement, the United States will receive $33.6 million to resolve the federal claims and the states will receive approximately $8.9 million to settle their respective claims. The whistleblower will receive $5.33 million out of the federal share of the recovery.
The original case was filed in September of 2006. The United States alleged 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. A
