Bitter pill

Bayer AG has agreed to pay the US government US $257 million after it was found guilty of overcharging for its antibiotic drug Cipro. The company admitted to selling Cipro to healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente at a price lower than what it was billing the government-aided Medicaid programme. This action violates a US law that requires drug companies to supply their medicines to Medicaid at the lowest cost to any purchaser.