ATTOR­NEY GEN­ER­AL KEN PAX­TON SECURES NEAR­LY $34 MIL­LION IN SET­TLE­MENT AGREE­MENT WITH BIG PHAR­MA COM­PA­NY ASTRAZENECA FOR GIV­ING ILLE­GAL KICK­BACKS TO PROVIDERS TO PRE­SCRIBE ITS DRUGS TO TEXANS

AUSTIN, June 29 -- The Texas Attorney General issued the following press release:

Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a settlement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP ("AstraZeneca") to resolve claims that the company engaged in an illegal kickback scheme that improperly influenced prescriptions paid for by Texas Medicaid. Under the settlement, the company will pay $33,998,000.00 to the State.

Attorney General Paxton sued AstraZeneca under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act ("THFPA"). Texas's lawsuit alleged that AstraZeneca provided free nursing services and reimbursement support to prescribers and paid third-parties to deploy nurses and other healthcare professionals to recommend AstraZeneca drugs to medical providers un...