Drug company fined $201m

A federal jury in the United States has found that Pfizer violated anti-racketeering laws in promoting its epilepsy drug Neurontin for unapproved uses and must pay at least US$142 million ($201 million) in damages.

The jury sided with California-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, the first to try a Neurontin case against the drugmaker.

Kaiser claimed it was misled into believing Neurontin was effective for off-label treatment of migraines, bipolar disorder and other conditions.

Pfizer argued that Kaiser physicians still recommend the drug for those uses.