Both settlements cover activities that occurred at Pharmacia before that company was acquired by Pfizer in 2003. The subsidiaries have agreed to pay fines totaling $34.7 million.
One subsidiary, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, will plead guilty to a single count of offering to an outside vendor remuneration in the form of an award of a contract to manage a Genotropin patient assistance program as an inducement for recommending the purchase of Pharmacia medicines. The subsidiary was assessed a fine of $19.7 million and will be disqualified from participation in government healthcare programs.
Pfizer said the disqualification will have no impact on current or future medicines approved for use in the US and will not affect the continued marketing of Genotropin.
The settlement does not allege that patients suffered any adverse health effects from off-label uses. Genotropin is approved for the treatment of children with hormone-related growth failure, pediatric patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome, and adults with growth hormone deficiency.