In Latin, the phrase "Qui Tam" means "who as well."
Those words are a part of a longer statement dating back to the Middle Ages that translates as "who sues in this matter for the king as well as for himself."
Qui Tam is perhaps better known as "whistleblower litigation" and it is included in the False Claims Act, which President Abraham Lincoln signed into law in 1863.
The False Claims Reform Act of 1985 changed the so-called "Lincoln Law", making it easier for the government to investigate False Claims Act cases and lowering the required burden of proof, as well as increasing the potential whistleblower’s share to 15-30%, among other items.
Today, Qui Tam can translate into an awful lot of money changing hands .
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Biogen (BIIB) is a recent example. The biotech agreed to pay $900 million to charges regarding false claims to Medicare and Medicaid by paying kickbacks to physicians to induce them to prescribe Biogen drugs, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Sept. 26.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed and litigated by former Biogen employee Michael Bawduniak against Biogen under the whistleblower provisions of the federal False Claims Act.
This the largest False Claims Act settlement ever secured without government intervention, officials said.
Biogen said in a statement that it "believes its intent and conduct was at all times...
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