Attorney General Beau Biden announced a settlement agreement with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer that resolves allegations the company engaged in deceptive practices in promoting its drugs Zyvox and Lyrica.
Biden joined 33 other state attorneys general in the $42 million nationwide agreement. Delaware will receive $633,000, which will be paid to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Fund.
“Doctors and patients rely on drug manufacturers for accurate and reliable information about their products when making critical decisions about their use of life-saving medications,” Biden said. “We’re acting today and will continue to be vigilant in acting to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for marketing their drugs only for uses that are safe and approved.”
The case involved inflated claim allegations over the antibacterial drug Zyvox has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of certain types of infections, including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly referred to as “MRSA.”
In addition, the AGs alleged that Pfizer marketed its drug Lyrica for uses that had not been approved by the FDA. such as the treatment of chronic pain, neuropathic pain (other than DPN and PHN), perioperative pain, and migraine. The drug is approved for the treatment of a condition related to diabetis.
As a result of the agreement, Pfizer will make changes to its marketing and promotion practices of Zyvox and Lyrica.
