Drugs firm GlaxoSmithKline will pay $3 billion (€2.38 billion) in fines after admitting to the largest healthcare fraud in US history.

The pharmaceutical company was accused of bribing doctors in the United States to prescribe medicines for unapproved uses, with potentially dangerous side effects.

Prosecutors said Glaxo illegally promoted Paxil for treating depression in children from 1998 to 2003, even though it wasn’t approved for anyone under age 18. The company also promoted Wellbutrin from 1999 through 2003 for weight loss, sexual dysfunction, substance addictions and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, although it was only approved for treatment of major depression.

Sir Andrew Witty, Glaxo’s chief executive, expressed regret yesterday and said the company had learned “from the mistakes that were made”.

Mr Witty said the company had “fundamentally changed” its procedures for compliance, marketing and selling, and that Glaxo understood “how important it is that our medicines are appropriately promoted to healthcare professionals and that we adhere to the standards rightly expected by the US government”.

In addition to the $3 billion penalty – which includes a $1 billion criminal fine and forfeiture and $2 billion to resolve civil claims – Glaxo agreed to be monitored by the US government for five years to ensure the company complies with marketing and other rules

A BARMAN at an exclusive hotel and spa has been awarded €7,500 compensation after he was fired over drinking a glass of wine and giving a glass of coke to a chef.

The employee was dismissed for gross misconduct over a glass of wine and a glass of coke in July 2007. In evidence, the employee admitted to giving a fellow employee a glass of coke which he did not pay for.

The employee said that such an incident was common practice. He insisted he had never offered an alcoholic drink to staff.

He was later disciplined and subsequently fired.

Judge Griffin heard that the company claimed that drinking a glass of wine and the providing of a glass of coke to the chef was gross misconduct.

Dorothy Donovan, for the employee, told the court that when the employee arrived at the disciplinary meeting with his solicitor, the company refused to allow the meeting to go ahead because they were not legally represented.

The employee received no minutes of the investigation meeting or the disciplinary meeting but was subsequently given his P45. He was not informed of the nature of the complaints or who had made the allegations against him.

The court heard that the minutes of the meetings were only provided to the employee the day before the court case. Judge Griffin refused to allow the minutes be introduced as the employee and his counsel had not seen them. Judge Griffin said he found the process employed by the hotel to be flawed. Finding that the employee had been wrongfully dismissed, Judge Griffin awarded damages of €7,500 and costs.

The Circuit Court has awarded the http://drnowmd.com/ of remedial works to a woman who claimed building work to an extension to her house was defective. The lady paid €23,000 for the construction of a 6ft square utility room. The court was told by a witness that a more reasonable price would be €18,000. The court was also told that the remedial works required due to insufficient insulation and other defects would cost €14,912. The court awarded this. The court also awarded €3,500 by way of compensation. When the lady, an 84 year old widow complained about the work, the builder had become verbally abusive and aggressive towards her.

The Department of Health is exploring a proposal which would enable the Personal Injuries Assessment board (PIAB) to deal with claims for injuries arising from medical negligence. The current system excludes such claims which are dealt with through the courts. PIAB was set up in 2004 to deal with compensation claims for persons injured at work or on the roads.