Novartis To Make Its Medical Education Programs Virtual Under DOJ Settlement
Executive Summary
Two settlements totaling $729m resolve kickback claims related to speaker programs and copay charities; Novartis will limit payments to healthcare professionals for providing medical education under a new corporate integrity agreement.
You may also be interested in...
COVID-19 Leads To Less Industry Spend On Docs, But Not Necessarily Less Influence
Drug and medical device company payments to doctors and hospitals for non-research related activities dropped for the first time in 2020 since CMS’s Open Payments database began collecting the information.
Pharma Companies Need To ‘Think A Little Bigger’ To Avoid Government Enforcement Actions
Industry executives note lessons learned from ‘fascinating’ approaches DOJ and states have taken in recent settlements, from restrictions on Novartis speaker programs to targeting McKinsey’s marketing advice. Chart includes details of 18 settlements since January 2020.
Pharma Companies Urged To Stop In-Person Speaker Programs In HHS OIG ‘Special Fraud Alert’
Companies should consider alternatives to in-person physician presentations given the risk of kickback violations, OIG says. Concerns addressed in Novartis corporate integrity agreement are broader than that case, Chief Counsel to the Inspector General Greg Demske explains in an interview.