MO Medicaid recovers funds from drug settlement

Under a national settlement with drug manufacturer Amgen Inc., Missouri has recovered $603,493 for its Medicaid program.

The settlement resolves claims that the California-based company violated federal and state laws by engaging in anticompetitive activity, according to a news release from Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster's office.

“Pharmaceutical companies must play by the rules or be held accountable for their actions,” Koster said in the release.

With its marketing of Aranesp, a prescription drug used to treat anemia, Amgen allegedly agreed to provide some institutinoal pharmacies with additional rebates provided those pharmacies promoted the drug in nursing homes they served. According to the release, the alleged purpose of the scheme was to coerce medical professionals at the facilities to dispense Aranesp rather than competing drugs.