Amgen hematology news

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia filed suit against Amgen in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts alleging the biotech offered kickbacks to medical providers to increase sales of its anemia drug Aranesp darbepoetin alfa. The plaintiffs allege that Amgen offered kickbacks to medical providers in the form of free Aranesp. They also allege that the company conspired with the International Nephrology Network (INN), a group purchasing organization for nephrology specialists, and wholesaler ASD Healthcare to offer illegal inducements to medical providers, such as sham consultancy payments and weekend retreats, to increase sales of the drug.

As a result, the complaint said, Amgen, INN and ASD allegedly caused medical providers to falsely certify to state Medicaid programs that the providers were in compliance with anti-kickback statues. The complaint also said Amgen's kickbacks caused "at least thousands of ineligible Medicaid claims" to be paid by the states. The plaintiffs, who have requested a jury trial, are seeking to recover treble damages and civil penalties under the states' False Claims Act laws, plus other monetary relief. ...