Par Pharma Brings Suit Against FDA Over Promotional Claims
On October 14, 2011, Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. (Par Pharma) brought suit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) challenging the Agencys rules that restrict claims made in marketing pharmaceutical products. Filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., the suit seeks a declaratory judgment and an injunction against the Agencys enforcement of the speech restrictions. Found here, the Complaint alleges that FDAs rules prevent Par Pharma from promoting its drug for both approved and unapproved uses.
Par Pharmas drug, Megace ES, was approved by the FDA in 2005 for the treatment of anorexia and cachexia, an AIDS-related wasting syndrome. Since its approval, the drug has been prescribed by doctors to treat other, related disorders, a practice known as “off-label” use. However, the FDA prohibits companies from promoting drugs for off-label uses, and it regularly enforces against companies which do so. For instance, the pharmaceutical manufacturer Allergan has been targeted for utilizing off-label marketing in the past. For more information regarding the Allergan suit, see our previous report here.
The FDAs jurisdiction to restrict off-label use is a contentious issue. While the FDA currently prohibits manufacturers from marketing FDA-regulated products for unapproved uses, the agency does not have the authority to prevent doctors from issuing prescriptions for off-label uses. Rather, the latter fits squarely within the practice of medicine, an area traditionally regulated by the states. Even where the FDA only attempts to restrict manufacturers without encroaching on the practice of medicine, FDAs efforts relating to off-label use are often viewed as hindering innovation inasmuch as manufacturers and doctors are prevented from discussing new, alternative uses for FDA-approved drugs and devices.
Although Par Pharma challenges the FDAs restrictions on off-label marketing, its suit also alleges that the Agency is unlawfully prohibiting the marketing of its drug for its approved uses. Specifically, Par Pharma claims that FDA is encroaching on its First Amendment rights by preventing the company from marketing its drug for its approved uses to physicians who are likely to prescribe the drug off-label. While this issue is slightly different than that regarding the promotion of off-label uses, it will be interesting to see who ultimately prevails.
For more information on FDA regulations and acceptable pharmaceutical marketing practices please contact us at contact@fidjlaw.com.