Shire pays $56.5M in Adderall marketing whistleblower case

Shire Pharmaceuticals has agreed to pay the government more than $56 million to settle allegations by a whistleblower that it wrongly marketed several drugs, including Adderall, the popular treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The $56.5 million settlement stems for claims by a former Shire executive, Dr. Gerardo Torres, who alleged under the federal False Claims Act that the company marketed Adderall XR and other ADHD drugs as effective in ways that were not supported by clinical data.

According to the whistleblower lawsuit, Shire suggested Adderall XR would help counter certain ADHD related issues such as poor academic performance, criminal behavior and sexually transmitted diseases.

The settlement also covers allegations involving Shire's other ADHD drugs Vyvanse and Daytrana, and Pentasa and Lialda, which are approved for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

The settlement calls for Shire, which has its U.S. headquarters in Wayne, Pa., to pay $35.7 million to the federal government. From that, Torres will receive $5.9 million. Additionally, the company will pay $20.8 million to the Medicaid-participating states.

Ross Feller Casey is a Philadelphia law firm with a national reputation for winning major qui tam lawsuits, including those involving leading pharmaceutical companies.

If you or someone you know has information about government fraud, you should contact our dedicated team of whistleblower lawyers immediately.

Your ability to file a successful whistleblower lawsuit could be limited, so the time to act is now. To learn more, go to www.rossfellercasey.com/practice-areas/whistleblower-litigation/