We’ve talked before about a pharmaceutical company pushing drugs on seniors. Now, they are getting fines from the Department of Justice. The company wanted to take advantage of seniors and how they are less likely to speak up with their doctors.

A Brief Summary Avanir Pharmaceuticals

 

In our previous article, we discussed how Avanir was up to no good. They have been aggressively marketing their drug to nursing home residents and doctors who interact with seniors.

A 2017 CNN investigation found that they were using the drug, Nuedexta, falsely in elderly dementia patients.

The government only approved Nuedexta for a rare condition whose symptoms include uncontrollable laughing and crying. This disease is pseudobulbar affect or PBA.

PBA can happen to patients with neurological conditions like dementia, but it’s not very common.

That didn’t stop Avanir salespeople from pushing it onto seniors in communities. Doctors with connections to the company have been caught misdiagnosing seniors with PBA so they can prescribe the drug.

Avanir Pharmaceuticals Getting Fined for Pushing Drugs on Seniors

 

Avanir has publicly acknowledged the investigation and that they have reached an agreement with the Department of Justice. The details of that deal are still unknown.

Though, financial filings from Avanir’s parent company, Otsuka, guess the agreement could mean $120 million in fines.

Nothing is completely confirmed.

Avanir hasn’t said anything else about the agreement. They have said they are “deeply committed to regulatory and legal compliance, as well as the health and safety of the patients we serve.”

Read more here.