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By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation NPC is currently fielding two different lawsuits, filed just days apart from each other, by the U.S. Department of Justice DOJ . The first lawsuit was filed on April 23, 2013, alleging the company gave illegal kickbacks to pharmacists. A second lawsuit was filed on April 26, 2013, alleging illegal kickbacks were paid by NPC to health care providers. According to the...

By Carole C. Schriefer, R.N., J.D., The Health Law Firm and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Two nationwide recalls of metal-on-metal hip implants by Johnson and Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics and Stryker Orthopaedics has prompted The Health Law Firm to take on plaintiffs’ products liability cases against these manufacturers. In August 2010, DePuy recalled 93,000 ASR XL hip implants after a significant percentage failed within ...

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm There’s been yet another recall from a compounding pharmacy. On May 8, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA sent a warning to doctors and pharmacists to avoid drugs made by The Compounding Shop, based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The recall is due to potential safety concerns. Click here to read the press release from the FDA . This recall is part of a nationwide crackdown by the FDA and state agencies on compounding pharmacies, setti...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A Miami patient recruiter will spend the next 37 months in prison for his part in a $20 million Medicare fraud scheme, according to the Department of Justice DOJ . Manuel Lozano was sentenced on May 6, 2013, in the Southern District of Florida. In addition to his prison sentence, Mr. Lozano will serve two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay more than $1,850,000 in restitution, jointly wi...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Carole C. Schriefer, R.N., J.D., The Health Law Firm The Health Law Firm has recently undertaken plaintiffs’ products liability cases against the manufacturers of defective hip implants, including both Johnson and Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics and Stryker Orthopaedics implants. DePuy recalled 93,000 ASR XL hip implants in August 2010, after a significant percentage failed within five yea...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The future of Florida’s prescription drug monitoring program looked bleak going into the last day of the legislative session. However, on May 3, 2013, lawmakers voted to fund the prescription drug database for one year, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Law enforcement officials have said the program is essential to fighting the war on prescription drug abuse The database, which was previously f...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Carole C. Schriefer, R.N., J.D., The Health Law Firm In August 2010, Johnson and Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics recalled 93,000 ASR XL hip implants after a significant percentage failed within five years. Click here to read the press release from DePuy . In July 2012, Stryker Orthopaedics issued a voluntary recall of the Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck femoral hip systems. Click here to see ...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law As the investigation into a Central Florida mental health counselor continues, new details are emerging on the extent of the $3 million Medicaid fraud scheme. On March 27, 2013, I blogged about a registered mental health counselor arrested on charges of racketeering, Medicaid fraud and identity theft. The Medicaid scheme was through the mental health facility she owned. She is accused of using the publ...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Often we learn after the fact that a health professional such as a mental health counselor, psychologist, or pharmacist has received Healthcare Providers Service Organization HPSO insurance, has had a legal problem, and has not been able to locate an attorney or law firm that accepts this type of insurance. We have offices in Florida and Colorado, but we have attorneys licensed in Florida, Colorado, Lo...

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Some of the clients we are representing in hip implant cases against manufacturers DePuy owned by Johnson & Johnson and Howmedica Osteonics Corporations n/k/a Stryker Corporation , d/b/a Stryker Orthopaedics, have signs and symptoms of respiratory illnesses similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD and other illnesses. Signs of this include general fatigue, persistent coughing, shortnes...