Healthcare

After 7 years of outstanding and promoted by various healthcare providers from January 2002 to December 2009, finally, the EMD Serono, a U.S. affiliate of Merck pharmaceuticals agreed to pay 44.5 million dollar because making false claim medication of Rebif to treat multiple sclerosis (MS).

Rebif is an interferon beta-1-alpha believed had the beneficial effect on MS progression.
However, many patients reported no perceived improvement, in fact, several serious side effects reported by those who already taking this medication.

According to the Justice Department, Serono has paid some healthcare providers “for hundreds of speaker training meeting and programs, as well as payments for attending consultant, marketing, and advisory board meeting.”

A U.S. attorney who investigated the case for the district of Maryland, Rod Rosenstein, said, “Healthcare decisions must be based solely on what is best for the individual patients and not on which pharmaceutical company is paying the doctor the biggest kickback.”

He add, “All consumers have the right to know that their healthcare provider judgement about medications they should take has not been undermined by kickbacks from pharmaceutical manufacturers.”

However, in EMD Serono side, Thomas Gunning, a senior vice president and general counsel of EMD Serono said, “The settlement contains no claims that unnecessary prescription for Rebif were writen, no allegations of patient harm, and no admission of fault by the company.”

He added that the company is “committed to operating its business with highest legal, compliance, and ethical standards.”