The Florida Attorney General’s office has begun an investigation into whether Eli Lilly & Co. violated state laws after it mailed unsolicited free samples of Prozac to patients taking antidepressant medication, the AG’s office said.
Last week, a Florida woman filed an invasion-of-privacy suit against the firm after receiving the samples. The woman, identified in court papers only as S.K., also sued her doctors, and Walgreens, according to news reports. The suit was filed in state court in Fort Lauderdale.
The suit states that Walgreens probably provided the patient information to Lilly. Walgreens said it mailed prescriptions for free as part of a coupon arrangement with Lilly. Eli Lilly has apologized for the mailing.
Officials from Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth’s office could not be reached for comment.
The letter, part of an apparent direct mailing, was signed by the woman’s doctors, according to the reports.
“Dear Patient,” it starts. “We are very excited to be able to offer you a more convenient way to take your antidepressant medication.”
“For your convenience, enclosed you will find a FREE one-month trial of Prozac Weekly.”
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