A consumer rights advocacy group has lost a Freedom of Information Act fight to access the compliance records Pfizer Inc. and Purdue Pharma LP filed with the government as part of their settlement of health care fraud cases.
U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell of the District of Columbia agreed with the pharmaceutical companies and HHS that the records were exempt under FOIAís exemption for trade secrets and confidential commercial, financial information.
In 2009, Public Citizen requested the annual reports both drugmakers filed as part of their corporate integrity agreements. The accords were reached to resolve claims against the companies for the illegal, off-label promotion of drug prescriptions that were reimbursed by federal health care programs. Continue>>>
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