Connecticut and 35 other states reached a $68.5 million settlement with drug maker AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals stemming from alleged improper off-label marketing of its anti-psychotic drug Seroquel, the state attorney general says.
Attorney General George Jepsen said Connecticut’s $1,234,106 share will go straight to the General Fund.
Jepsen said it is the largest, multistate, consumer-protection based settlement with a drug company.
The complaint, filed along with the settlement agreement, alleges that AstraZeneca engaged in unfair and deceptive practices when it marketed Seroquel for unapproved or off-label uses.
The suit also claimed the drug maker failed to adequately disclose the drug’s potential side effects to health care providers, and withheld negative information contained in scientific studies concerning the safety and efficacy of Seroquel.
“This settlement represents the collective efforts of many states to ensure that AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals complies with federal and state laws and are truthful about what they advertise,” Jepsen said. “While physicians may prescribe drugs for off-label uses, manufacturers may not.”
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