Pfizer Settles $59.7M Kickback Allegations Tied to Acquired Migraine Drug

The settlement resolves claims that Biohaven, acquired by Pfizer in 2022, used improper financial incentives to boost prescriptions of Nurtec ODT.

Pfizer will pay $59.7 million to settle allegations that Biohaven, a company it acquired, violated the False Claims Act by offering kickbacks to doctors to promote the migraine drug Nurtec ODT.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleged that from March 2020 to September 2022, Biohaven provided speaker honoraria and expensive meals to induce physicians to prescribe the drug more frequently.
Some events allegedly included repeat attendees or individuals without educational needs, such as family members or colleagues from the same practice.
Pfizer terminated the speaker programs upon acquiring Biohaven for $11.5 billion in October 2022 but did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement.
The whistleblower in the case, a former Biohaven sales representative, will receive approximately $8.4 million as part of the settlement.