CALIFORNIA
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. has agreed to pay $13,670,921 to resolve allegations that it violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute by paying healthcare providers improper incentives to prescribe Trintellix, an antidepressant medication used to treat major depressive disorder, officials stated last week
Federal authorities alleged the company caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare and other government healthcare programs through a speaker program that rewarded healthcare providers with honoraria, meals, and drinks at high-end restaurants.
Quick Facts
- Settlement amount: $13.67 million
- Drug involved: Trintellix antidepressant
- Alleged conduct period: January 2014 to October 2020
- Programs affected: Medicare and other federal healthcare programs
- Alleged kickbacks included speaker fees, meals, and drinks
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits companies from offering or paying anything of value to influence referrals or prescriptions covered by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and other federally funded healthcare programs.
According to the allegations, Takeda selected certain healthcare providers to participate in its Trintellix speaker bureau and paid them speaker honoraria intended to encourage prescriptions of the drug.
The government also alleged some healthcare providers attended multiple programs covering the same topics and received meals and drinks despite receiving little or no educational benefit from the repeat events.
The settlement resolves the allegations without a determination of liability.