Pfizer faces $142M in damages for drug fraud

A federal jury has found that Pfizer Inc. violated anti-racketeering laws in promoting its epilepsy drug Neurontin for unapproved uses and must pay at least $142 million in damages.

A federal jury has found that Pfizer Inc. violated anti-racketeering laws in promoting its epilepsy drug Neurontin for unapproved uses and must pay at least $142 million in damages. The jury sided with California-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, the first to try a Neurontin case against the drugmaker.

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Kaiser claimed it was misled into believing Neurontin was effective for off-label treatment of migraines, bipolar disorder and other conditions. Pfizer argued that Kaiser physicians still recommend the drug for those uses.

Jurors ordered Pfizer pay $47.36 million in damages, which will be tripled to nearly $142.1 million under the racketeering law. A Pfizer spokesman says the company will seek to overturn the verdict.