FOUR WHISTLEBLOWERS SPLIT $84 MILLION FROM ABBOTT LABS CASE

Four former Abbott Laboratories sales staff members who tipped off the government to improper marketing of medication will split $84 million as part of the $1.6 billion settlement of a suit alleging improper marketing of Depakote. This payout is the second largest since the False Claims Act was amended in 1986 giving whistleblowers more financial incentive to come forward by awarding them part of the settlement. In 2009, Pfizer paid $2.3 billion to settle a similar case and six whistleblowers split $102 million. Abbott made the payment to settle claims that it improperly marketed the neurologic medication Depakote for off label or unapproved uses.