Kentucky gets $1.17 million in drug settlement

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky will get $1.17 million from a pharmaceutical company to settle allegations the company improperly labeled its medication, which led a public health insurance program to improperly pay for the medicines.

Shire Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $56.5 million to settle a civil lawsuit, according to a news release from Democratic state Attorney General Jack Conway. The lawsuit brought by several states and the federal government alleged the company told consumers several of its ADHD drugs would treat certain symptoms or disorders despite not having clinical data to back up those claims.

Of Kentucky's settlement, $828,267 will be returned to the federal government and the remaining $162,345 will go back to the state's Medicaid program.

Conway said his office has recovered more than $260 million in Medicaid fraud and abuse cases since 2008.