The AstraZeneca Seroquel trouble began with marketing for off label uses. From wikimedia commons.
British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has just reached a settlement with the Department of Justice over AstraZeneca Seroquel investigations. The drug Seroquel, an anti-psychotic medication, has come under fire for being marketed for unapproved purposes. The drugmaker has agreed to pay the Department of Justice $520 million in restitution. It will hardly make them think about guaranteed loans to cover for the expense, as the drug itself sold about $4.9 billion worth last year.
AstraZeneca Seroquel marketed for wrong purposes
The qualms over AstraZeneca Seroquel were based on the drug being marketed for purposes other than those it is approved for. The DOJ also alleges there were physician kickbacks of payday cash for prescribing the drug for off-label purposes. The drug Seroquel is quetiapine, which is used to treat schizophrenia and certain bi-polar disorders. Physicians may prescribe a medication for an off-label use if they deem it appropriate. However, pharmaceutical drugs aren’t to be marketed for off label uses; the FDA considers that a no-no.
Off label uses of Seroquel
Part of the investigation is into whether AstraZeneca Seroquel was marketed for uses it hasn’t been approved for yet. According to the Wall Street Journal, AstraZeneca marketed the drug for off label uses, such as to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, aggression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. The Justice Department believes the pharmaceutical giant also gave kickbacks to physicians to prescribe it for those purposes. AstraZeneca set aside $520 million in October for the purposes of a settlement, but it denies the allegations.
Lawsuits pending
There are lawsuits pending against AstraZeneca concerning side effects of off label use of Seroquel. Seroquel isn’t the first drug to be used off label; every drug has an alternate use, so the use of medication for off label purposes is actually somewhat widespread. For instance, aspirin works as a blood thinner and typically is used as a pain reliever, but it also is used for treating heart disease. Many physicians prescribe medications for off label uses, and their use is perfectly fine. That said, the idea that physicians would prescribe medication not intended for a particular use for money when a better alternative is available is particularly troubling.
So what’s the impact?
Because the company put the money aside for an AstraZeneca Seroquel settlement months ago, probably not much will come of it. The company will be complying with federal instructions and will disclose any payments to physicians.
I'm represented by Howard Nations too and when I called last week I was told they didn't know when payments would be mailed out. Has anyone been given a date yet? I am tired of waiting. I like everyone else need my money now.
well i was wondering is there any way we all can sue our lawyer since they got all the money it doesn't seem right we all are damage for life and problemly will suffer with alot of aliment that comes along with diabetes like kidney frailer heart disease poor correlation in your leg going blind and on medication the rest of our life.and all the pain and suffering that we and our love ones will have to go throw and all we got out of the law suite was 25.000 some got 10..000 and some got 6.000.and when the lawyer and medicaid get theirs some will end up with out of the 25.00 you will problemly end up with 5000 out of the 10.000 you problemly will end up with 3000 and out of the 6000 you will problemly end up with 2000. and the lawyers will end up with all the money and they will have use us the victims to make there money and we as the victims will suffer and die from a drug companies greed and lawyer greed. it isn't right that we get this small amount of money and where it is us that have and will pay a high price. for astrazencea creed ..so if any one out has and answer and no away to sue the lawyers for all the money they have made off our medical health problem please let us no so we can be included. because just maybe we all can file a class action law suite against them
Donna, my son is represented by Howard Nations too. I have tried to get an advance loan against the settlement money but noone will approve the advance because my son is the plaintiff and he is a minor! I have been waiting and like everyone else am in desperate need for this settlement money to FINALLY come through but so far NOTHING! I am beginning to wonder if it is real or just a big joke on everyday people like us by Howard Nations Law Firm and Astra Zeneca!!
i live in mississippi and im with bpb lawfirm and i havent heard anything on the cases except it was gonna be several more months before we get our money.. i wanted to do an advance also but wasnt approved either.. anyone heard anything new?
I heard the seroquel lawsuit was settled, and the payments to seroquel victims would be sent to them in October 2011,by Howard Nations Law firm, We sent our packet in to Nations Law Firm in july or August 2011, when I called the Law Firm" they said that Astra Zeneca people were checking each individual packet, to make sure each packet was signed correctly, by the client" and that we may not get our payment until around xmas, because there were so many cases, Well" what were they doing in the months of july and August? 2011? surely there is more than 1 person working on these forms???
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHY ON TOP OF THE 40% THEY WANT EXPENSES LOL THAT SHOULD COME OUT OF THE 40% AS IT IS NOW WHAT R THEY GONNA TRY TO MAKE UP SOME B.S TO TRY AND GRAG ANOTHER 3 TO 10% HAD I NEW HOW THIS WAS GONNA TURN OUT I WOULD OF WENT ELSE WERE……. I KNOW I DIDINT JUMP ON A PLANE AND HALF THE REASON THEY DONT WANT TO TAKE IT TO TRIAL IS CUZ THERE ALLREADY GETTING $ 85,000,000.00 MILLION IM SORRY AT LEAST $95,000,000.00 WELL WHO KNOWS MAYBE I HEARD WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vickie-I have been on seroquel for severe manic bi-polar.I now have severe sugar and take 3 pills a day plus 20 units of insulin a day Before they put on seroquel I had no issues at all then the next thing I knew I was pre-diabeties then down hill all the way!NOW I even have severe neurapathy for the last 2 years this is worse than the diabetets.I have to use a walker and need surgery on my right ankle severe surgery trying to put it off as long as I can.I already had it scheduled for last june but now I am hoping to get my money to pay my part .WHEN WILL WE GET OUR MONEY?CONFUSED AND MAD THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE STUDIES BEFORE PUTTING IT ON THE MARKET!
im blessed to be alive. i have been trying to bring these issues and facts out about these drugs and the misuse of the drugs to make money. which goes against honesty and well being for everyone in this country. for me 18 yrs of suffering. im a nurse and i also saw what it was doing to other people. i have lost everything i have owned and im on disability. quality of life is not great. unable to work in a capacity to be lasting. im 45. i am really concerened about the abilify marketing on tv because through my studies this should not be used to treat depresson as they state on the tv it is for schizophrenia! as the other ones and i was put on everyone of them through a misdiagnosed problem. the insurance company paid 100% of all of that and they havent sent an explanation of benefits explaining what the doctors were paid for and how much. i hope they all change this and do right to everyone. because when you do right, you dont get sued! no more suffering justice please
ALL I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS SOME OF US WERE PROMISED THE STARS LOL…………. IM SOUR BECAUSE I AMOUNG MANY OTHERS HAVE TO TRY TO MANAGE THIS MEDICAL PROBLEM FOR THE REST OF OUR LIFE AND WHO REALLY GOT PAID!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT THE PLANTIFFS BUT I DONT THINK IT WAS THE LAW FIRMS FAULT BUT ITS STILL VERY MESSED UP AND BOTTOM LINE IS WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT U REALLY R GETTING ITS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE AGE HOW SICK U REALLY R ………………… I STILL THINK WE R GETTING THE S… END OF THE STICK ……. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO R GETTING ANY REAL MONEY R THE LAW FIRMS EVERYONE WAKE UP SORRY TO SAY BUT READ THE FINE PRINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
so when do clients from the law firm whatleydrake&kallas get thier money from the law settlement from seroquel
You'll have to contact Whatley, Drake & Kallas and inquire. Their website is: http://www.wdklaw.com/
ell i keep hearing all that is gooing on is they have reached a agreement but won't say what it is and to call back i a couple of months they ay they talk on the phone eer day to a z a they tring t bump u the mney hope so cause i would like to se some for i die then you gota figger we have incurred costs like medical
records plane to get there motel stay for deposition they phone calls secreterial use of supplies unlell they split the cost as a whole not just each person wr won;t get anything
Unfortunately, that's the way lawsuits work. A company may reach a settlement or be directed to award victims by a jury, but it's an incredibly tedious process that can take years, sometimes decades. All the lawsuits regarding the Exxon Valdez oil spill haven't even been settled yet.
So did anyone ever get any money from this?
Well, Astra-Zeneca did recently have to settle with 38 states (of the United States) that were suing the drug maker over Seroquel, in separate cases from the Department of Justice lawsuit. Astra had to pay about $68.5 million, which is less than $2 million per state that was suing them. If you mean any suits where a person, or class of regular citizens were suing Astra-Zeneca…I don't believe so. So far, the company has only been sued by the Federal and state governments.
so when do bailey perrin bailey clients get some answers? 4 yrs now and nothing
you day is finally here, we get 25,000 each, 40% for lawyers, we get $13,000.
Mike, are we really getting ths money. everyone is so hush hush and vague. what is the problem. hit me up on chubbyclark@verizon.net. would like to chat with you. or you can call me at 412-271-2599 anytime. i was told by Howard Nations law firm that the packets were being mailed out on the last day of April 2011. shoud see something in the mail by tuesday'wednesday
i called he threatened me with the police an i just asked when we weere getten the money. he said they would b sent out in oct
EVERYBODY IS GETTING A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF MONEY…… DEPENDS ON AGE AND HOW SICK U R . WHAT I DONT UNDERSTAND IS THERE ALLREADY GETTING 40% NOW THEY WANT EXPENSES ALSO…………………….. LOL THATS A SICK JOKE………………………
$13,000? I just talked to my lawyer (howard nations)
I was told we will only recieve $6,000.00