A Forest Laboratories Inc. unit agreed to plead guilty and pay $313 million for distributing its Levothroid thyroid drug before it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
The allegations also involved illegal promotion of Celexa for use in treating children and adolescents suffering from depression, the Justice Department said in a statement. The Forest Pharmaceuticals unit also agreed to settle allegations it caused false claims to be submitted to federal health-care programs for Levothroid, Celexa and Lexapro, an anti-depressant.
