Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJDonovan today announced that he and 50 other Attorneys General have reached a $13.5 millionsettlementwith Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc(BIPI) regarding deceptive statements BIPI made regarding four of its prescription drugs: Micardis, Aggrenox, Atrovent, and Combivent. Vermont will receive over $130,000 under the settlement. The settlement resolves allegations made in the State’sComplaintthat BIPI violated Vermont’s Consumer Protection act when it misrepresented the drugs’ benefits and/or promoted the drugs as superior to other drugs for the treatment of the same condition.
“Making unsubstantiated statements about the way a drug works or its benefits simply cannot be condoned. This settlement will ensure that BIPI will not make such misrepresentations again,” said General Donovan. The settlement requires BIPI to ensure that its marketing and promotional practices do not unlawfully promote these prescription drugs.
Specifically, BIPI will:
- Limit product sampling of the four drugs to health care providers whose clinical practice is consistent with the product labeling;
- Refrain from offering financial incentives for sales that may indicate off-label use of any of the four drugs;
- Ensure clinically relevant information is provided in an unbiased manner that is distinct from promotional materials; and
- Provide that requests for off-label information regarding any of the four drugs are referred to BIPI’s Medical Division.
For more information about the Attorney General’s consumer protection efforts go to:http://ago.vermont.gov/focus/consumer-info.php
Vermont AG: Dec 20, 2017