Recent Cases
Philip S. Marstiller, Esq., President of the Marstiller Law Firm, announced that Forest Laboratories Inc. and it's subsidiary Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc. will pay approximately $313 Million to settle criminal and civil charges that the company marketed the anti-depressant drugs Celexa and Lexapro for unapproved pediatric use and paid off-label kickbacks to induce physicians to prescribe the drugs. As part of the settlement, a guilty plea to criminal information will be entered and Forest will pay $149 Million to settle the civil claims. This settlement arises from whistleblower complaints files against Forest under the qui tam provisions of the federal and state False Claims Acts alleging off-label promotion of the drugs and various forms of illegal remuneration for doctors, including cash payments disguised as grants or consulting fees, preceptorships, speaking fees, expensive meals and lavish entertainment and other valuable goods and services, all in violation of the federal anti-kickback act. The United States and several states intervened in these cases in 2009 and have now reached this settlement. The Marstiller Law Firm on behalf of its client and whistle blower relator Christopher Gobble, a former Forest sales representative, filed suit against the company in March 2003. See D.mass Civil Action No. 03-10395-NMG. New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/health/16drug.html?_r=1&ref=forest_laboratories_inc
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