AbbVie used “nurse ambassadors” to market drug

Wilmington, DE On May 17, an investor sued AbbVie, alleging that the manufacturer of Humira defrauded investors by permitting the company to engage in an illegal “kickback scheme” that caused the value of the stock to plummet. The shareholder derivative lawsuit arises from a number of whistleblower lawsuits, including one filed in California in 2018. These brought to light AbbVie’s scheme to induce doctors to prescribe Humira by showering them with cash, meals, drinks, gifts, trips, patient referrals and the services of nurse “ambassadors.” Ranney v. Gonzalez is just the latest fallout from AbbVie’s controversial “white coat marketing” efforts.

While some see the work of the nurse ambassadors or nurse educators as a valuable service to patients, others see an abuse of the relationship of trust between medical professionals and patients. Still others see pharmaceutical companies working to create their own internal, closed health care systems. Ranney, however, focuses on whether the practice was bad business, especially since the “white coat” marketing scheme had already caused AbbVie to pay million-dollar settlements.

Humira was a big money-maker - with links to serious illnesses

Humira is an immunosuppressant medication often used to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Crohn's disease, plaque psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and psoriatic arthritis. However, it can also lower the body’s...

Read Full Story: https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/legal-news/whistleblower/kickback-schem...