Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made a significant announcement, revealing that the state of Texas filed lawsuits against Pfizer and Tris Pharma. These legal actions stemmed from allegations of fraudulent practices by the pharmaceutical companies concerning an ADHD medication distributed through the Texas Medicaid program.
Paxton asserted that Pfizer and Tris had manipulated testing data related to the ADHD drug Quillivant, despite being aware of issues associated with the medication. According to Paxton, the companies breached the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act to push Quillivant through Texas’s drug regulations.
Expressing dismay over the uncovered deceit, Paxton conveyed his shock at the intentional concealment and lack of disclosure about Quillivant’s issues. He emphasized that this conduct enabled the companies to obtain taxpayer-funded benefits through Texas Medicaid while potentially endangering children who consumed the medication.
The press release from Paxton’s office highlighted that Pfizer had supplied Quillivant to children covered by Medicaid despite a recurring pattern of the drug failing quality control tests due to flawed manufacturing practices. Allegedly, Tris altered the drug’s testing method, violating federal and state laws to ensure Quillivant met regulatory standards for continued sales.
Paxton’s lawsuit revealed that from 2012 to 2018, Pfizer and Tris concealed substandard manufacturing processes while falsely representing Quillivant’s compliance with federal and state regulations. This deception allegedly deprived Texas Medicaid decision-makers of crucial information, resulting in numerous Texas children receiving an adulterated substance.
The legal filing incorporated Relator Tarik Ahmed, formerly the head of technology for Tris, who learned about the alleged substandard manufacturing practices during his tenure from 2013 to 2017. Additionally, Pfizer mentioned being subpoenaed in 2022 by the Southern District of New York regarding Quillivant’s production and partnership with Tris but reported no further updates following the initial communication.
