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By DEVLIN BARRETT (AP)
WASHINGTON — Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug maker, will pay a record .3 billion civil and criminal penalty over unlawful prescription drug promotions.
Announcing the settlement Wednesday, the Justice Department said that it included the largest criminal fine in U.S. history — .2 billion. The agreement also included a criminal forfeiture of 5 million.
Authorities called Pfizer a repeat offender, noting it is the fourth such settlement of government charges in the last decade.
. . . even as Pfizer was negotiating deals on past misconduct, they were continuing to violate the very same laws with other drugs.
Six corporate whisteblowers ...brought the misconduct to light . . . The overall settlement is the largest ever paid by a drug company for alleged violations of federal drug rules.
. . . The government said the company promoted four prescription drugs, including the pain killer Bextra, as treatments for medical conditions different than those the drugs had been approved for by federal regulators.
. . . Under terms of the settlement, Pfizer must pay billion to compensate Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal health care programs. Some of that money will be shared among the states . . .
When Pfizer originally disclosed the settlement figure, it also announced plans to acquire rival Wyeth for billion. That deal . . . would bolster Pfizer's position as the world's top drug maker by revenue . .
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