US fines Novartis USD 390 mn over pharmacy kickbacks

The US fined Swiss drugmaker Novartis USD 390 million for granting kickbacks to pharmacies that recommended the company's drugs, the Department of Justice announced today.
In a settlement deal Novartis admitted that it gave specialty pharmacies exceptional rebates and patient referrals in exchange for recommending Exjade, which treats excess iron in blood, and Myfortic, an anti-rejection drug for kidney transplant recipients.