WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New Jersey-based drugmaker Teva has agreed to pay $450 million to resolve allegations that it violated an anti-kickback statute and the False Claims Act, the U.S. Justice department said in a statement on Thursday.

"Kickbacks designed to induce referrals or purchases of healthcare goods or services distort physician and patient decision-making, thwart competition and bypass controls put in place to protect federal health care programs," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the department's civil division.