Federal government joins 2 lawsuits against major U.S. drug company

February 22, 2009
12:52 am

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Heather L. Ryan, R.N., C.L.N.C- Heather Ryan is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant with 15 years of experience in the health care industry. Her expertise in reviewing medical records and assisting lawyers with the determination as to whether legal action should be taken provides an invaluable asset to the newsroom. Medical-malpractice, products liability, personal injury and workers’ compensation are some of the recent areas of litigation Ms. Ryan has focused her efforts on. A member of the Florida Justice Association, Heather maintains a long list of certifications and credentials to support her areas of expertise and stays up-to-date with her clinical knowledge working as an emergency room/trauma nurse, at a Level 1, Adult/Pediatric trauma and teaching institution in South Florida.

Federal government joins 2 lawsuits against major U.S. drug company

Feds sue Johnson & Johnson for illegally marketing heart drug for uses not approved by FDA.

New York, NY (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–The United States federal government’s Department of Justice (DOJ) www.doj.gov has joined two lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and one of its medical treatment units called Scios. The federal government is accusing J&J of illegal marketing practices for one of its top cardiac medications, Natrecor, for uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov.

Natrecor was approved by the FDA to intravenously treat patients in the hospital with acute decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF). Patients suffering acute CHF, with shortness of breath, may benefit from Natrecor IV was approved by the FDA. Investigators and lawyers with the DOJ found evidence Scios began to aggressively market Natrecor to patients with less severe heart failure shortly after the drug’s approval to the U.S. market in 2001.

Marketing medications for uses not approved by the FDA is a violation of federal laws. J&J is accused of promoting Natrecor to doctors for off-label uses.

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