Jazz, Alexion and Lundbeck to pay $122m to settle kickback probe

Drugmakers Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Lundbeck and Alexion Pharmaceuticals have agreed to pay a total of $122.6m to settle allegations of paying kickbacks via copay assistance foundations. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) said that the companies violated the False Claims Act by paying patients under Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program (ChampVA) through purportedly charitable organisations. These charitable foundations allegedly subsidised the copays with financing from the companies. The Anti-Kickback Statute restricts drugmakers from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, in the form of money or any other thing of value to motivate Medicare or VA patients to buy their medicines.