Japan-based Astellas Pharma and Amgen are the latest drugmakers to settle claims with the U.S. Justice Department stemming from an industry-wide probe of drugmakers’ financial support of patient assistance charities.
The investigation alleged that the drugmakers used charities that help cover Medicare patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs as a way to pay kickbacks aimed at encouraging the use of their drugs.
Astellas agreed to pay $100 million and Amgen will pay $24.75 million, but neither company admitted any wrongdoing.
Read the Reuters story.