to Aggressively Pursue GlaxoSmithKline
Baton Rouge—British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has pleaded guilty and will pay $3 billion in the largest settlement of health care fraud in U.S. history, the United States Justice Department announced this week. The settlement will resolve criminal and civil liability from the company's unlawful promotion of certain prescription drugs and failing to report safety data on others. The criminal penalties alone will total $1 billion.
“Prior to this announced plea and settlement, we had already filed suit against GSK to enforce state laws and penalties arising out of its marketing of the drug Avandia,” stated Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.
Caldwell said recent reports note that GSK is unrepentant following the largest health care fraud in U.S. history by a pharmaceutical company.
“It is incumbent upon me, as Attorney General, to continue to aggressively pursue GSK and other pharmaceutical companies who brazenly defraud our state and our citizens,” said Caldwell.
“In an economy where some people are forced to choose between food and medicine, the criminal conduct of companies such as GSK becomes all the more reprehensible. We are sending a message to drug companies that their fraud and criminal misconduct will not be tolerated in Louisiana. We will bring them kicking and screaming to justice,” said Caldwell.
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