Novo Nordisk reaches whistleblower settlement in 'white-coat' sales scheme lawsuit

Fierce Pharma ------- Novo Nordisk has moved to settle a whistleblower lawsuit alleging the company ran a “white-coat marketing scheme” to pump up sales of NovoLog, Victoza and Levemir. According to the suit (PDF)—recently unsealed as part of the settlement process—Novo Nordisk partnered with a clinical education company, Healthstar’s PT, to set up a program dubbed Changing Life with Diabetes. The group hired and trained certified diabetes educators (CDEs), according to the suit, which was brought by two former managers and more than two dozen states. The whistleblowers claim that since 2006, Novo ran the program to gain crucial access at physician practices, where CDEs would provide thousands of dollars worth of educational programs and materials. According to the lawsuit, CDEs would provide: Free patient education and seminars; Free, in-office training; Free Novo-branded log books to give to patients; and Unlimited access to “Go To” diabetes experts for patients. To learn more click on the picture below to read the article.