Biovail facing grand jury investigation

The Massachusetts Attorney General's office is pursuing a grand jury investigation of Biovail's 2003 launch of Cardizem LA (diltiazem), particularly its program to encourage doctors to prescribe the long-acting formulation of the antihypertensive drug. Under this program, physicians who prescribed the drug to up to 15 patients and completed a questionnaire were entitled to receive $1,000. In launching Cardizem, Biovail said it would be aggressive in seeking to convert users of other diltiazem products, including its own Cardizem CD, to Cardizem LA (1"The Pink Sheet" Feb. 10, 2003, p. 27). The AG's office began an administrative inquiry into the program in 2003, and at that time the HHS Office of Inspector General launched a similar investigation...