WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The Corporate Whistleblower Center is urging medical doctors or pharmaceutical sales representatives to call them at 866-714-6466 if they have well-documented proof a drug company is providing kickbacks to physicians with the goal getting more prescriptions because this type of information can produce multi-million dollar rewards. http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com
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The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "We are urging medical doctors and/or drug or medical device sales representatives to call us anytime at 866-714-6466 if you have high quality proof that includes documentation a drug or device company is providing kickbacks to physicians as a way to sell more drugs or medical devices. These types of practices frequently involve Medicare or Medicaid fraud, and the rewards for this type of information can frequently exceed one million dollars." http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com
In a recent example Daiichi Sankyo Inc., a global pharmaceutical company with its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey, agreed to pay the United States and state Medicaid programs $39 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to induce physicians to prescribe Daiichi drugs, including Azor, Benicar, Tribenzor and Welchol.
The Anti-Kickback Statute was enacted to ensure that physicians' medical judgment is not compromised by improper payments and gifts by other health care providers. The statute generally prohibits anyone from offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
According to a January 2015 press release from the department of Justice, "The government alleged that Daiichi paid physicians improper kickbacks in the form of speaker fees as part of Daiichi's Physician Organization and Discussion programs, known as 'PODs.'
"Allegedly, payments were made to physicians even when physician participants in PODs took turns 'speaking' on duplicative topics over Daiichi-paid dinners; the recipient spoke only to members of his or her own staff in his or her own office, or the associated dinner was so lavish that its cost exceeded Daiichi's own internal cost limitation of $140 per person."
In this instance the whistleblower will receive $6.1 million of the federal recovery.
Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistleblower Center:
- Do not go to the government first if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Major whistleblowers frequently go to the federal government thinking they will help. It's a huge mistake."
- Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Public revelation of a whistleblower's information could destroy any prospect for a reward.
- Do not try to force a government contractor or corporation to come clean to the government about their wrongdoing. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Fraud is so rampant among federal contractors that any suggestion of exposure might result in an instant job termination, or harassment of the whistleblower. Come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think it's sufficient, we will help find the right law firms to assist in advancing your information."
The Corporate Whistleblower Center wants to emphasize there are high quality whistleblowers in every state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, and Alaska.
Any type of insider or employee who possesses significant proof of their employer or a government contractor defrauding the federal government is encouraged to contact Corporate Whistleblower Center anytime at 866-714-6466 or via their web site at http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com
For attribution please refer to the January 2015 Justice Department press release related to this matter. http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/daiichi-sankyo-inc-agrees-pay-39-million-settle-kickback-allegations-under-false-claims-act
Case Number: The case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Fragoules v. Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Civil Action No. 10-10420 (D. Mass.).
Media Contact:
M. Thomas Martin
866-714-6466