Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Feb. 19 sued Sanofi, alleging the company provided doctors free services, incentivizing them to prescribe drugs the company makes.

Sanofi, through its Support Services Program, provides doctors with administrative help to file paperwork for prior authorization or approval from insurers before the drugs it makes are dispensed.

“The availability of Support Services is a key part of the promotional strategy Sanofi devised for the Covered Drugs because it creates significant financial incentives for Providers to prescribe the Covered Drugs over competitor products,” Paxton’s lawsuit, filed in state court in Travis County, says.

Another program, which offers providers free nursing services if they prescribe Sanofi’s drugs, also violates state law “because it furnishes remuneration to induce Providers to start or continue prescribing the Covered Drugs,” the lawsuit states.

Texas law against kickbacks forbids people from offering or paying “any remuneration, including any kickback, bribe, or rebate, in cash or in kind to” providers participating in Medicaid.

Paxton, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, is requesting a jury trial. He wants Sanofi fined more than $1 million and ordered to stop engaging in the programs in Texas.

“The quality of Texans’ healthcare should never be determined by Big Pharma bribery,” Paxton said in a Feb. 19 statement. “Sanofi is in clear violation of Texas law that prohibits the exact type of kickback scheme that the company is actively engaging in. The people of Texas deserve to know that the drugs they’re being prescribed are being given to them to best address their medical needs.”

A Sanofi spokesperson said the complaint “attempts to mischaracterize legitimate patient support programs, including nurse education and reimbursement assistance services,” adding the programs “are structured to comply with applicable federal and state laws and are intended to support patients, not to influence prescribing decisions.”

“Reimbursement support services are a well-established, industry-standard practice that help patients navigate complex insurance requirements and overcome barriers to accessing their prescribed medications. Nursing support services are designed to help patients better understand their prescribed treatments and access appropriate care,” the spokesperson said.

“The state’s intervention has no bearing on the merits of this case, and Sanofi is zealously defending this litigation. Sanofi remains committed to helping patients access the medicine they need, including providing patient-forward services that help ensure patients can access and properly utilize their medicines.”

Paxton sued Eli Lilly in 2025 for similar programs. The case is ongoing.