Novartis to pay $390 million to settle kickbacks case

(Reuters) — Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. will pay $390 million to resolve U.S. charges alleging it paid specialty pharmacies illegal kickbacks in exchange for inducing patients to refill certain medications, according to a court filing on Friday.

The settlement between the company, the federal government and more than 40 states centers on payments that the drug manufacturer paid between 2007 and 2012 to certain specialty pharmacies to entice them to recommend some of the company's prescription drugs to Medicaid and Medicare patients.