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Posted on Sep 25, 2017, 10 a.m.
Insys Therapeutics faked cancer patients in order to boost sales of its drug Subsys, a sprayable form of the opioid painkiller fentanyl, according to a federal indictment and ongoing congressional investigation by Sen. Claire McCaskill.
“The chief product of Insys, painkiller Subsys, is a sublingual spray containing fentanyl, one of the deadliest synthetic opioids today. Subsys is approved by the FDA to be sold only to patients with ‘breakthrough cancer pain.’ In other words, its only permitted for cancer patients, yet Insys has allegedly been falsifying patients in order to make it appear as though the demand for Subsys is higher than it actually is,” Alex Pietrowski, Staff Writer Waking Times
Insys Therapeutics faked cancer patients in order to boost sales of its drug Subsys, a sprayable form of the opioid painkiller fentanyl, according to a federal indictment and ongoing congressional investigation by Sen. Claire McCaskill.
Subsys was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012 to treat acute pain in cancer patients. But the drug's high cost meant most insurers wouldn't pay for it unless it was approved in advance, CNN reported.
In order to increase sales, it's alleged that Insys took patients who didn't have cancer and made it look like they did. Methods included falsifying medical records, misleading insurance companies and providing kickbacks to doctors, according to a report released Wednesday by McCaskill's office. McCaskill is a Democrat from Missouri.
In a statement provided to CNN on Wednesday, Insys said it disagreed with "certain characterizations in the staff report released today."
Late last year, federal prosecutors criminally charged the company's former CEO and five other executives with fraud and racketeering charges related to Subsys.
Other federal charges have also been brought against individuals connected to the drug, and several state attorneys general have filed lawsuits of their own, CNNreported.
“This is an example of how profit is put ahead of human life. Such horrible, money motivated healthcare, or this case blatant health endangerment, has become all too common on the Healthcare Industry. Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath? Apparently the Hippocratic principles need to be extended to drug manufacturers,” said Dr. Ronal Klatz, President of the A4M September 11, 2017.
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Dr. Ronald Klatz, DO, MD President of the A4M has 28,000 Physician Members, has trained over 150,000 Physicians, health professionals and scientists in the new specialty of Anti-aging medicine. Estimates of their patients numbering in the 100’s of millions World Wide that are living better stronger, healthier and longer lives. www.WorldHealth.net
