Device company ASD Specialty Healthcare, doing business as Besse Medical, has agreed to pay $1.67 million to resolve allegations it provided inventory management systems to ophthalmology practices at no cost to induce them to purchase drugs from Besse.
In May 2017, ASD acquired an inventory management system specialized for retina practices, according to a Dec. 13 news release from the Justice Department. Through November 2023, ASD offered the system at no cost to customers who entered agreements that required them to purchase a percentage of their specialty drugs from ASD.
ASD required customers who did not enter the agreements to pay a monthly fee for access. Additionally, following its acquisition of the system, ASD discontinued access to the system for non-ASD retina practices that had used the system prior to the acquisition, including those who offered to pay a monthly fee.
Carrollton, Texas-based ASD Specialty Healthcare distributes medical and pharmaceutical products, including ophthalmological injections that treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration.