Attorney General Ken Paxton sued pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly for bribing and illegally inducing medical providers to prescribe its most profitable drugs, including the high-demand GLP-1 medications Mounjaro and Zepbound that are used for weight loss and diabetes treatment.
In order to enhance profits, Eli Lilly offered illegal incentives to medical providers in Texas, including “free nurses” and reimbursement support services. These inducements were designed to steer providers toward prescribing Eli Lilly’s drugs. In many cases, these prescriptions were covered by Medicaid, resulting in millions of dollars in claims to Texas Medicaid that were tainted by Eli Lilly’s illegal marketing and quid pro quo arrangements, in violation of the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act.
“Big Pharma compromised medical decision-making by engaging in an illegal kickback scheme,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Eli Lilly fraudulently sought to maximize profits at taxpayer expense and put corporate greed over people’s health. I will not stand by while corporations unlawfully manipulate our healthcare system to line their own pockets.”
This lawsuit builds upon Attorney General Paxton’s previous legal action against Eli Lilly and other major pharmaceutical companies to hold drug manufacturers accountable for fraud and abuse. By taking on one of the world’s largest drug companies, the Attorney General continues to protect Texas patients and taxpayers from corporate schemes that undermine the integrity of the healthcare system.
To read the filing, click here.