November 11, 2009

Utah Settles Zyprexa Claims For $24 Million

The office of Utah's Attorney General Mark Shurtleff today announced that it had recently settled its illegal off-label marketing of Zyprexa claims with Eli Lilly for $24 million. Said Shurtleff's office in a press release:

"It is a crime for pharmaceutical manufacturers to market their drugs for uses that are not approved by the FDA. Zyprexa was only approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and certain types of bipolar disorder in adults, but in 1999, Lilly's long-term care sales force, its marketing branch that focuses on doctors who treat the elderly, began encouraging doctors to prescribe Zyprexa for dementia, Alzheimer's, agitation, aggression, hostility, depression and generalized sleep disorder without prior FDA approval. The Attorney General's investigation showed that there were 1,769 Medicaid patients over the age of 65 who took Zyprexa but never had a diagnosis of either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder."

If it's a crime why did Utah not pursue criminal penalties under state law? I wonder how many of those 1,769 elders died early as a result of Zyprexa use.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at November 11, 2009 11:45 AM
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1.769 - RIP

Posted by: Scott at November 11, 2009 01:24 PM

Eli Lilly is one lucky company! The off label use and injuries involved often accrued to those who may be the least likely to litigate, ex. the elderly with dementia, children, and persons with mental illnesses. Vioxx settlements with individuals came to almost $5 billion. Last I heard Zyprexa settlements with individuals were $1.2 billion.

Federal and State settlements have received considerable press attention while the monies paid - or lack of the same - to those most directly impacted go largely ignored. The press can and should do so much better here. In the world's most litigious nation it is worth covering a unique phenomenon where individuals with standing fail to seek redress.

Posted by: Joe at November 12, 2009 07:20 AM
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