GlaxoSmithKline Agrees to Pay $750 Million to Settle Complaints

GlaxoSmithKline Agrees to Pay $750 Million to Settle Manufacturing Complaints

(NY Times) GlaxoSmithKline, the British drug giant, has agreed to pay $750 million to settle criminal and civil complaints that the company for years knowingly sold contaminated baby ointment and an ineffective antidepressant -- the latest in growing number of whistle-blower lawsuits that drug makers have settled with multimillion dollar fines.

Altogether, GlaxoSmithKline sold 20 drugs with questionable safety that were made at a huge plant in Puerto Rico that for years was rife with contamination. Cheryl Eckard, the company's quality manager, asserts in her whistle-blower suit that she warned Glaxo of the problems but the company fired her instead of addressing the issues. Among the drugs affected were Avandia, Bactroban, Coreg, Paxil and Tagamet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/business/27drug.html?_r=1&hp