> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fdaweb.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# HHS Inspector General Probe on Alexion Practices
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/hhs-inspector-general-probe-on-alexion-practices/
- Published: 2017-07-10T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:32:50.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5139095

Alexion Pharmaceuticals is reportedly under investigation by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) over its support for charities that aid Medicare patients, already being investigatedby the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts. Earlier this year, Alexion said it had received a subpoena asking for documents about this. [Bloomberg News](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-06/alexion-under-investigation-by-u-s-office-of-inspector-general?ref=fdaweb.com) says it recently received a response from a Freedom of Information Act request from OIG that said that there was an “open and ongoing investigation” into the rare disease drug maker.

Bloomberg notes that Alexion has been under government scrutiny over its business practices since its chief executive and financial officers [resigned last year ](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-12/alexion-ceo-resigns-amid-allegations-of-improper-sales-practices?ref=fdaweb.com)amid allegations that the company engaged in improper sales practices. Since then, new CEO **Ludwig Hantson** has been cleaning house as he focuses the company on compliance.

  
A [Bloomberg investigation in May](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-05-24/when-the-patient-is-a-gold-mine-the-trouble-with-rare-disease-drugs?ref=fdaweb.com) found a widespread culture of aggressive sales at Alexion. It reported that sales staff pressured doctors to keep patients on the drug Soliris, company nurses warned patients who wanted to stop taking therapy that doing so could lead to blood clots, and the drugmaker’s close relationships with nonprofits gave it special access to patient information. Alexion also allegedly signed deals with lab companies that would alert it when new patients were found — sharing detailed information that helped it look for new potential customers.