Novartis is once again facing justice in the United States over accusations of bribery by a whistleblower in connection with the distribution of the drug Gilenya. A Manhattan appeals court ruled on Friday, Reuters reported.
Novartis is accused of having made payments to doctors so that they could promote the drug to their patients. This violates a US federal law (False Claims Act). The case was revealed by a former representative of the Basel group who claimed that Novartis had paid thousands of dollars to doctors and invited them to restaurants to participate in events encouraging the sale of drugs. Gilenya.
An important source of income for the group
The appeals court stayed a prior district court ruling that dismissed the complaint in September 2022 and sent the case back to the lower court. The whistleblower’s accusations had already been made in May 2013 and a court had already rejected them in early 2020.
Novartis has not yet taken a position on the latest developments in the matter. Gilenya is an important source of turnover for the group. It is prescribed to treat multiple sclerosis. In 2023, its turnover will reach nearly 1 billion dollars worldwide, out of a total of 45.4 billion. Compared to previous years, sales of the drug are down significantly.
