Author: Justin Lane

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NPC) is finding itself embroiled in a legal battle that alleges the company was engaged in a kickback scheme with BioScrip, a pharmacy. “We have laws on the books to prevent companies from engaging in this behavior,” commented James Kauffman, an attorney with the Levin, Papantonio law firm who practices in the areas of bad drug and anti-kickback litigation. “It exists to protect patients from potentially corrupted reasoning on the part of their health care providers. No health care provider should put its own financial benefit before the wellbeing of a patient. Accepting payment to prefer...

Sending officials to the Sochi Olympics is an endorsement of Russia’s anti-gay laws. Make no mistake, the law is so draconian that the audacity of passing it in modern times is a marvel in itself. But, despite the sentiments of the rest of the civilized world, Russia’s law stands and the games will begin in just under a month. The games are not just about the sport or the athletes anymore. In fact, you’ll be hard pressed to see scenes of the athletes in action without some brand’s image or name also appearing in the scene. Olympic supporting brands...

“Patients have a right to expect that when their physician makes a decision about their care that he or she is considering only their medical needs and ignoring any personal incentive that they may have,” said James Kauffman, an attorney with the Levin Papantonio law firm who practices in the areas of qui tam or whistleblower act litigation. The Department of Justice announced that Abbott Laboratories has agreed to pay $5.475 million to settle claims alleging it violated the False Claims Act. The lawsuit alleged that Abbott engaged in paying kickbacks to doctors to encourage them to implant Abbott’s...

The Department of Justice announced Friday that it would taking commonsense steps to strengthen the federal background check system for firearm sales. The new revisions seek to reduce obstacles the system that have prevented the distribution of information about the mental health of someone trying to buy a gun. The proposed changes allow the sharing of information about an individual’s prior mental health adjudications and significant events between state and federal systems. The DOJ has also proposed to clarify that the phrase “committed to a mental institution” include involuntary inpatient and outpatient events. In 2013, President Obama pushed for...

Ring of Fire’s top stories from the past week. Video Rewind Fox Meat Scandal Forces Walmart Recall Walmart recalled donkey meat supplies from some Chinese outlets after DNA tests revealed the presence of fox meat. Found in the Shandong province, the tainted donkey meat will surely further damage Walmart’s reputation in China as the company has had similar food safety problems in the past. Dietary Supplement Tied to Liver Failure The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported that a 28-year-old man is requiring a liver transplant after suffering liver failure from allegedly using the bodybuilding and...