FINES ALONE WON'T WORK

Big Pharma has been hit with billions in fines just since 2000 but they don't deter bad behavior.

Johnson & Johnson to pay $2.2 billion to settle health care fraud allegations
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, November 4, 2013 12:46 EST
The Raw Story

Global health-care giant Johnson & Johnson will pay more than $2.2 billion to settle allegations that it misrepresented drugs and used kickbacks to promote their sales, the Justice Department said Monday.

In one of the largest health-care fraud settlements in US history, J&J’s criminal and civil fine covers allegations the company promoted Risperdal and other prescription drugs for uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the department said.

The settlement further covers kickbacks J&J allegedly paid to physicians and pharmacies for prescribing and promoting those drugs.