The Texas Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Pfizer and Tris Pharma for defrauding Medicaid in the Lone Star State and providing adulterated products to children with attention deficits. Ken Paxton was "horrified" by the findings of an investigation that concluded that both drug companies "intentionally concealed and failed to disclose the issues with Quillivant to receive taxpayer-funded benefits through Texas Medicaid, defrauding the state and endangering children."
🚨Breaking: Today, I have filed suit against Pfizer and Tris Pharma for defrauding Texas Medicaid and providing adulterating pharmaceuticals to children. I am horrified by the dishonesty we uncovered in this investigation. Pfizer and Tris intentionally concealed and failed to… https://t.co/SIfC72qatF
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) November 20, 2023
Manipulating test methods to pass Texas legal checks
In a statement, the attorney general's office explained that "Pfizer contracted with Tris, a drug manufacturer, to produce a pediatric attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication (“ADHD”), Quillivant XR. Pfizer knowingly distributed Quillivant to children on Medicaid despite the drug’s pattern of failing quality control tests due to flawed manufacturing practices. For years, Tris altered the drug’s testing method in violation of federal and state laws to ensure Quillivant passed regulatory hurdles and could continue to be sold."
Pfizer, Tris, Mehta File Stamped by Israel Duro on Scribd
Paxton is "horrified by the dishonesty" of both pharmaceutical companies
The lawsuit, which includes the CEO of Tris Pharma, Ketan Mehta, states that "Despite knowing about these serious problems, Pfizer misrepresented to the Medicaid program that Quillivant was in compliance with federal and state law, and concealed from Medicaid decision-makers the fact that Quillivant was an adulterated drug. As a result of these misrepresentations and concealments, Pfizer and Tris obtained the benefit of taxpayer-funded Medicaid reimbursement for Quillivant." The fraud took place between 2012 and 2018, a period in which several families complained that the medication did not work.
I am horrified by the dishonesty we uncovered in this investigation. Pfizer and Tris intentionally concealed and failed to disclose the issues with Quillivant to receive taxpayer funded benefits through Texas Medicaid, defrauding the state and endangering children. Our Civil Medicaid Fraud Division has done an outstanding job holding these pharmaceutical companies accountable.
