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NJ drug firm to pay nearly $25M in kickbacks case

Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:09 PM EDT
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Associated Press
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BOSTON — A New Jersey pharmaceuticals firm will pay nearly $25 million in criminal and civil fines after pleading guilty to federal charges that it made illegal payments to encourage doctors to prescribe a blood pressure drug.

The U.S. attorney's office in Boston announced Monday that Bridgewater-based Biovail Pharmaceuticals Inc. was sentenced to pay $22.2 million after pleading guilty to conspiracy and kickback charges.

The company also will pay a $2.4 million civil penalty.

Prosecutors alleged Biovail paid thousands of physicians and others up to $1,000 apiece to induce them to prescribe or recommend Cardizem LA.

The company is a subsidiary of Toronto-based Biovail Corp., which announced in May 2008 it had agreed to plead guilty and pay to settle the case.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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