Montana Attorney General Tim Fox announced this week 1 $13.5 million settlement with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BIPI).

Spokesperson Anastasia Burton said the case involved the company’s misrepresentation of four specific drugs.

“The prescription drugs that were involved were Aggrenox, Micardis, Combivent and Atrovent,” said Burton. “They claim that the drugs had approval or ingredients, characteristics or benefits that they didn’t. The company recommended the drugs in certain occasions for off-label usage which turned out to be quite serious in terms of consequences for patients. So, in addition to the settlement money, we’re pleased that the company in the future has to refrain from misrepresenting the drug.”

Burton said the misrepresentations violated Montana statute Montana Code Annotated 30-14-103.

BIPI also agreed to pay the participating attorneys general of 49 states and the District of Columbia a total of $13.5 million, of which Montana’s share is $138,718.  Montana’s settlement money will go to its Office of Consumer Protection.

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