Did AbbVie face allegations over how it marketed Humira?
In 2020 AbbVie paid $24 million to settle allegations it deployed nurse 'ambassadors' to encourage refills and paid doctors cash, meals and trips — while the House report found AbbVie had obstructed its investigation for two years until threatened with a subpoena.
Yes. In 2020 AbbVie paid $24 million to settle a lawsuit brought by California's insurance commissioner and a whistleblower. The suit alleged AbbVie used nurse "ambassadors," who visited patients or called them, to ensure prescriptions were refilled, blurring the line between caregiver and marketer, and offered doctors cash, meals, gifts and trips to encourage Humira prescribing. The settlement required marketing reforms, and AbbVie did not admit wrongdoing. The House report also found AbbVie had obstructed the committee's investigation for more than two years until threatened with a subpoena. Separately, a Senate Finance report found the IP rights for US Humira sales were held by a Bermuda subsidiary, a lawful but criticised tax structure.