Prescription Drug Fraud

Prescription Drug Fraud falls under the umbrella of healthcare fraud. Most of the time, Medicare and Medicaid programs are the target of prescription drug fraud. Unscrupulous doctors and online pharmacies also commit fraud by providing pharmaceutical drugs to individuals who are essentially drug addicts.

It is possible to bring a Qui Tam action under the False Claims Act for prescription fraud. If employees or private citizens have knowledge of fraudulent activities against the government, they can initiate a Qui Tam case to hold companies accountable for their illegal acts by making the wrong doers reimburse the government.

Florida Prescription Fraud Lawyers

The lawyers at Levine & Glassman are prepared to help whistleblowers navigate the complex False Claims Act. You do have protections under the False Claims Act if you decide to become a whistleblower. You need a Qui Tam lawyer familiar with healthcare fraud who will correctly draft the disclosure statement required by the federal government.

Prescription Drug Fraud Information Center

• Examples of Illegal Prescription Drug Fraud Actions
• Types of Qui Tam Prescription Fraud Claims
• How we can help

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Examples of Illegal Prescription Drug Fraud Actions

Some illegal activities that involve prescription drug fraud include:

• Knowingly selling or purchasing prescription drug samples.
• The wholesale distribution of prescription drugs in interstate commerce without a state license.
• Resale of prescription medication purchased by a healthcare entity.
• Selling fake prescription drugs.

There are a number of different scams and illegal accounting practices that defraud the government when it comes to prescription drugs. If you are employed with a healthcare entity that has a government contract for prescription drug and you know about fraudulent billing practices, it is best to contact a Qui Tam lawyer.

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There are many types of frauds that involve prescription drugs. Some of the most common claims include:

• Medical Trial Fraud
• The pharmaceutical industry is a billion dollar industry. The cost of prescription drugs increase every year. In order to legally sell a prescription drug, the drug must go through clinical trials to make sure it is safe for human consumption. It is a fraud and a violation of the False Claims Act for pharmaceutical companies to distort the results of medical trials in order to get their drugs to the market.
• Failure to report complications to the FDA
• It is necessary to report all possible and actual adverse effects from using a prescription drug. It is a crime to omit information in the same way it is a crime to purposely report false information.
• Contaminated Pharmaceutical Products
• Sometimes the government gives pharmaceutical companies contracts to supply drugs. It is a fraud to provide the US government with tainted or contaminated drugs.
• Price Manipulation of Prescription Drugs
• Price manipulation is an issue especially with Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for some prescription drugs. The price for drugs largely depends on insurance and government reimbursements. A company perpetrates a fraud on the US government if it intentionally charges more for prescription drugs provided to the government.
• Off Label Marketing
• Usually prescription drugs are approved for a specific purpose. Sometimes drugs can have other benefits, but it is not marketed for that purpose unless it has gone through extensive clinical trials and testing. It is getting more common for doctors and pharmacies to use prescription drugs to treat ailments that have not been officially tested with the particular pharmaceutical drug. Off label marketing falls under the category of fraud because officially the government has approved the drug for another purpose and the government does not endorse off label marketing of prescription drugs out of safety concerns.
• Paying Kickbacks and Inducements to Favor Particular Drugs
• It is increasingly popular to pay doctors and pharmacists either in cash or other types of fringe benefits to prescribe particular pharmaceutical drugs. It is a fraud to essentially bribe healthcare providers to prescribe drugs that may not be medically necessary for the patient. Kickbacks are a major False Claims Act violation.

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Prescription fraud not only creates government waste, but it also creates a public safety hazard. Defective prescription drugs can cause birth defects, cardiovascular difficulties, depression and other health problems. The attorneys at Levine & Glassman have the knowledge to aggressively represent people in Qui Tam cases. They are relentless in their investigation in order to present the best case possible to the United States government.

Levine & Glassman, P.A. – Florida Qui Tam Lawyers

The attorneys at Levine & Glassman have extensive experience at evaluating and pursuing medical malpractice and fraud claims in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding areas of Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. Contact our firm at (954) 332-6100 or using our online contact form and one of our attorneys will evaluate your potential prescription drug fraud Qui Tam case, explain the process of filing such a claim, and answer any other questions you may have. Once you have all of the information about filing a prescription drug fraud Qui Tam case, and you fully understand the benefits and consequences, we can make a decision together on whether to proceed with your case.