Phillips & Cohen Llp

Bextra Whistleblower Case Started Investigation of Pfizer

Published in Health Business Week, September 18th, 2009

The decision by a Pfizer sales representative in Florida to file a whistleblower ("qui tam") lawsuit in 2003 kicked off the federal and state investigations that led to Pfizer's record-breaking $2.3 billion settlement today.

"In the Army, I was expected to protect people at all costs," said the whistleblower, John Kopchinski, a West Point graduate and Gulf War veteran. "At Pfizer I was expected to increase profits at all costs, even when sales meant endangering lives. I couldn't do that."

The largest piece of the settlement -- $1.8 billion -- is solely due to Pfizer's improper "off-labeling" marketing of Bextra that Kopchinski exposed through his qui...

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Source: Health Business Week (2009-09-18)

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