Pfizer Settles $59.7 Million Over Kickbacks for Migraine Drug

Pfizer will pay $59.7 million to settle allegations that Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, acquired in 2022, paid kickbacks to promote Nurtec ODT.
A whistleblower lawsuit by former Biohaven sales specialist Patricia Frattasio led to the settlement, with $8.4 million awarded to her.

Pfizer Inc. has agreed to pay $59.7 million to resolve allegations of kickback schemes involving the migraine drug Nurtec ODT, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The settlement addresses charges that Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, which Pfizer acquired in October 2022 for $11.5 billion, defrauded Medicare and other healthcare programs.

Between March 1, 2020, and September 30, 2022, Biohaven allegedly violated the federal False Claims Act by offering speaker honoraria and expensive meals to doctors as incentives to prescribe Nurtec. The DOJ revealed that some programs were attended repeatedly by the same doctors or individuals such as spouses and family members with no legitimate educational purpose.

Pfizer terminated the Nurtec speaker programs following its acquisition of Biohaven. Trini Ross, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, stated:

“Patients deserve to know that their doctor is prescribing medications based on their doctor’s medical judgment, and not as a result of financial incentives from pharmaceutical companies.”

The settlement resolves a whistleblower lawsuit filed in August 2021 by Patricia Frattasio, a former Biohaven neuroscience sales specialist. Frattasio will receive approximately $8.4 million from the settlement. Of the total settlement amount, $41.8 million will go to the federal government, while $9.5 million is allocated to state Medicaid programs.

Pfizer, without admitting wrongdoing, expressed relief at resolving the matter.