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Physicans Accused of Accepting Kickbacks
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John H. Gohde
May 7, 2013, 10:01:37 AM5/7/13
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Physicans Accused of Accepting Kickbacks
http://tinyurl.com/d5hfwcy
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a lawsuit against a
pharmaceutical company accusing at least six Florida doctors of
participating in phony conferences and taking thousands of dollars in
kickbacks.
The Tallahassee doctors — who are not charged and are not named in the
civil lawsuit — are among dozens implicated in an alleged national
scheme by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to encourage doctors to
prescribe certain brand-name drugs to treat diabetes, hypertension and
other maladies.
The suit accuses doctors of teaching or attending several conferences
that were little more than extravagant social events, including lavish
dinners and fishing trips off the coasts of Florida and Alaska.
Florida and 27 other states are party to the suit, which also accuses
the doctors of bilking Medicaid — the state-run health insurance for
the poor — by over-prescribing Novartis drugs.
Drug companies for years have paid doctors to speak about new drugs at
educational meetings with other doctors, a practice that is legal
though widely viewed as questionable.
Novartis, in some cases, didn’t even pretend to give educational
information, the suit alleges.
“Novartis held thousands of speaker programs all over the country at
which few or no slides were shown and the doctors who participated
spent little or no time discussing the drug at issue,” the suit
states. “Instead, Novartis simply wined and dined the doctors at high-
end restaurants with astronomical costs, as well as in sports bars, on
fishing trips, and at other venues not conducive to an educational
program.”
Many of the conferences were held at the Hooters restaurant chain.
Novartis, a New Jersey company, denies the lawsuit’s claims.
“Physician-speaker programs are an accepted practice designed to
inform physicians about an appropriate use of medicines,” states a
media release from the company.
Among other allegations in the suit:
Novartis paid one Tallahassee doctor between $50,000 and $75,000 for
speeches he mostly did not give between 2003 and 2011.
Novartis paid another doctor $3,750 for giving the same speech five
times in a nine-month period, with the same four doctors attending
each time.
The doctors repeatedly took turns in the role of speaker and student,
attending programs of the same topic they had spoken about. Overall,
Novartis’ data shows the same six Tallahassee doctors attended the
same program 23 times in six months.
“Education was a very small part of the [events],” the suit states.
“The doctors talked mostly about other things.”
The federal anti-kickback law makes it a felony for doctors to accept
bribes in exchange for recommending a drug or service covered by
Medicare or Medicaid.
The federal government has previously sued Novartis under the law. As
part of the 2010 settlement, the company promised to straighten up.
The new suit states Novartis continued to host suspicious conferences
that seemed to result in attendees billing Medicare and Medicaid for
high amounts of Novartis drugs — such as Lotrel and Valturna — which
treat cardiovascular problems.
Lee Lasris, attorney for the Florida Health Law Center, said Florida
and other states likely signed on to the suit to try and recover money
lost from Medicaid, which is partially paid for by the state.
Florida also bans pharmaceutical kickbacks, he added, although often
these cases play out entirely at the federal level.
“In some cases, maybe the patient needed the drug. Maybe it was
borderline and an exercise routine would have worked just as well,”
Lasris said. “But the government assumes the doctor’s judgments are
tainted by his self interest.”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/03/3379224/florida-doctors-accused-of-accepting.html#storylink=cpy
http://tinyurl.com/d5hfwcy
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a lawsuit against a
pharmaceutical company accusing at least six Florida doctors of
participating in phony conferences and taking thousands of dollars in
kickbacks.
The Tallahassee doctors — who are not charged and are not named in the
civil lawsuit — are among dozens implicated in an alleged national
scheme by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to encourage doctors to
prescribe certain brand-name drugs to treat diabetes, hypertension and
other maladies.
The suit accuses doctors of teaching or attending several conferences
that were little more than extravagant social events, including lavish
dinners and fishing trips off the coasts of Florida and Alaska.
Florida and 27 other states are party to the suit, which also accuses
the doctors of bilking Medicaid — the state-run health insurance for
the poor — by over-prescribing Novartis drugs.
Drug companies for years have paid doctors to speak about new drugs at
educational meetings with other doctors, a practice that is legal
though widely viewed as questionable.
Novartis, in some cases, didn’t even pretend to give educational
information, the suit alleges.
“Novartis held thousands of speaker programs all over the country at
which few or no slides were shown and the doctors who participated
spent little or no time discussing the drug at issue,” the suit
states. “Instead, Novartis simply wined and dined the doctors at high-
end restaurants with astronomical costs, as well as in sports bars, on
fishing trips, and at other venues not conducive to an educational
program.”
Many of the conferences were held at the Hooters restaurant chain.
Novartis, a New Jersey company, denies the lawsuit’s claims.
“Physician-speaker programs are an accepted practice designed to
inform physicians about an appropriate use of medicines,” states a
media release from the company.
Among other allegations in the suit:
Novartis paid one Tallahassee doctor between $50,000 and $75,000 for
speeches he mostly did not give between 2003 and 2011.
Novartis paid another doctor $3,750 for giving the same speech five
times in a nine-month period, with the same four doctors attending
each time.
The doctors repeatedly took turns in the role of speaker and student,
attending programs of the same topic they had spoken about. Overall,
Novartis’ data shows the same six Tallahassee doctors attended the
same program 23 times in six months.
“Education was a very small part of the [events],” the suit states.
“The doctors talked mostly about other things.”
The federal anti-kickback law makes it a felony for doctors to accept
bribes in exchange for recommending a drug or service covered by
Medicare or Medicaid.
The federal government has previously sued Novartis under the law. As
part of the 2010 settlement, the company promised to straighten up.
The new suit states Novartis continued to host suspicious conferences
that seemed to result in attendees billing Medicare and Medicaid for
high amounts of Novartis drugs — such as Lotrel and Valturna — which
treat cardiovascular problems.
Lee Lasris, attorney for the Florida Health Law Center, said Florida
and other states likely signed on to the suit to try and recover money
lost from Medicaid, which is partially paid for by the state.
Florida also bans pharmaceutical kickbacks, he added, although often
these cases play out entirely at the federal level.
“In some cases, maybe the patient needed the drug. Maybe it was
borderline and an exercise routine would have worked just as well,”
Lasris said. “But the government assumes the doctor’s judgments are
tainted by his self interest.”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/03/3379224/florida-doctors-accused-of-accepting.html#storylink=cpy
Clayton
May 18, 2013, 5:43:24 PM5/18/13
to
On Tue, 7 May 2013 07:01:37 -0700 (PDT), "John H. Gohde"
<john.h...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Physicans Accused of Accepting Kickbacks
>
>http://tinyurl.com/d5hfwcy
>
>The U.S. Attorney�s Office has filed a lawsuit against a
>pharmaceutical company accusing at least six Florida doctors of
>participating in phony conferences and taking thousands of dollars in
>kickbacks.
>
>The Tallahassee doctors � who are not charged and are not named in the
>civil lawsuit � are among dozens implicated in an alleged national
>scheme by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to encourage doctors to
>prescribe certain brand-name drugs to treat diabetes, hypertension and
>other maladies.
>
>The suit accuses doctors of teaching or attending several conferences
>that were little more than extravagant social events, including lavish
>dinners and fishing trips off the coasts of Florida and Alaska.
>
>Florida and 27 other states are party to the suit, which also accuses
>the doctors of bilking Medicaid � the state-run health insurance for
>the poor � by over-prescribing Novartis drugs.
>
>Drug companies for years have paid doctors to speak about new drugs at
>educational meetings with other doctors, a practice that is legal
>though widely viewed as questionable.
There seems to be a big disjoint in many areas between what is legal
<john.h...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Physicans Accused of Accepting Kickbacks
>
>http://tinyurl.com/d5hfwcy
>
>The U.S. Attorney�s Office has filed a lawsuit against a
>pharmaceutical company accusing at least six Florida doctors of
>participating in phony conferences and taking thousands of dollars in
>kickbacks.
>
>The Tallahassee doctors � who are not charged and are not named in the
>civil lawsuit � are among dozens implicated in an alleged national
>scheme by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to encourage doctors to
>prescribe certain brand-name drugs to treat diabetes, hypertension and
>other maladies.
>
>The suit accuses doctors of teaching or attending several conferences
>that were little more than extravagant social events, including lavish
>dinners and fishing trips off the coasts of Florida and Alaska.
>
>Florida and 27 other states are party to the suit, which also accuses
>the doctors of bilking Medicaid � the state-run health insurance for
>the poor � by over-prescribing Novartis drugs.
>
>Drug companies for years have paid doctors to speak about new drugs at
>educational meetings with other doctors, a practice that is legal
>though widely viewed as questionable.
and what is moral. It seems that the law is an ass in some respects -
many criminals get away with things where they should be pulled up and
nipped in the bud. The legal system is a farce in many ways.
>
>Novartis, in some cases, didn�t even pretend to give educational
>information, the suit alleges.
>
>�Novartis held thousands of speaker programs all over the country at
>which few or no slides were shown and the doctors who participated
>spent little or no time discussing the drug at issue,� the suit
>states. �Instead, Novartis simply wined and dined the doctors at high-
>end restaurants with astronomical costs, as well as in sports bars, on
>fishing trips, and at other venues not conducive to an educational
>program.�
>
>Many of the conferences were held at the Hooters restaurant chain.
>
>Novartis, a New Jersey company, denies the lawsuit�s claims.
coming out of their marketing basket and since marketing isn't
illegal, they've done nothing wrong.
>
>�Physician-speaker programs are an accepted practice designed to
what is required by normal moral codes and will do what it takes to
increase their profits.
Clayton
"A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its
vicinity freshen into smiles."
-- Washington Irving (1783-1859), American author
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