Amgen Inc. has agreed to pay $15 million to settle a whistleblower suit alleging that the company paid kickbacks to physicians and physician groups for prescribing Xgeva, a cancer drug. Amgen created a program whereby the company paid doctors for completing surveys on how they were treating patients with bone cancer. Although doctors were supposed to receive equal payments regardless of whether or not they prescribed Xgeva, Amgen allegedly paid additional amounts to doctors who prescribed its drug. Amgen also allegedly paid oncologists and urologists kickbacks under the guise of honoraria for participating in Amgen programs.

The whistleblowers will receive $2.75 million for bringing the case to the government’s attention.

Read the entire press release, “Ventura County-Based Amgen Inc. Pays Over $15 Million To Resolve Allegations That It Illegally Marketed Cancer Drug With Kickbacks”