November 3, 2014
Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez
Masto announced today that her Office has reached a $9.5 million settlement with
Pfizer Inc., to resolve the State’s lawsuit that Pfizer and Wyeth
Pharmaceuticals unlawfully promoted certain postmenopausal hormone therapy
medications and misled Nevada consumers and physicians about the safety and
efficacy of these drugs.
“This settlement will help our local education institutions support programs
addressing women’s health issues,” said Masto.
On Oct. 27, Pfizer agreed to make an $8 million donation that will go towards
the University of Nevada School of Medicine and the University Medical Center to fund
Nevada health care programs affecting women’s health issues.
Pfizer is bound by a previous consent judgment announced in Aug. 2014 that
requires the company to ensure that its marketing and promotional practices do
not unlawfully promote any Pfizer product.
Specifically, as required by the
previous consent judgment, Pfizer shall not:
- Make, or cause to be made, any written or oral claim that is false,
misleading, or deceptive regarding any Pfizer Product;
- Make any claim comparing
the safety or efficacy of a Pfizer Product to another product when that claim is
not supported by substantial evidence as defined by Federal law and regulations;
- Promote any Pfizer Product for Off-Label uses;
- Include mechanisms in its
financial incentives to provide incentive compensation for sales that may be
attributable to the Off-Label uses of any Pfizer Product.
Pfizer is also making a payment of $1.5 million to the Nevada Attorney
General’s office to offset investigational costs.
This case was prosecuted by Kristine M. Kuzemka, Senior Deputy Attorney
General, and Sheri Ann Forbes, Senior Deputy Attorney General.
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