Respironics Inc has agreed to pay $34.8 million to settle U.S. Department of Justice claims that it provided kickbacks in the form of free call center services to suppliers, to induce them to buy its masks for patients suffering from sleep apnea.
Wednesday’s settlement with the unit of Royal Philips NV resolves whistleblower claims originally brought by Dr. Gibran Ameer, a South Carolina pharmacist who worked for medical equipment suppliers that bought the masks.
Sleep apnea causes people to have breathing pauses that last at least a few seconds while they try to sleep.
