Earlier this year, Gerald M. Sacks, MD, reached a settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations that he violated the False Claims Act. The DOJ alleged that Dr. Sacks prescribed several medications for receiving paid speaking and consulting work from two pharmaceutical manufacturers, Purdue Pharma, LP and Depomed Inc. Sacks agreed to pay $270,582.63 (including $202,963.83 in restitution).
The Allegations
According to the government, Sacks prescribed Purdue’s medications Butrans, Hysingla, and OxyContin, all opioid medications for the treatment of pain, to Medicare beneficiaries, in part for exchange for receiving paid speaking and consulting work from Purdue from December 13, 2010 through October 31, 2021.
The DOJ also alleged that Sacks prescribed Gralise (a nerve pain medication) as well as Lazanda and Nucynta (opioid medications for the treatment of pain) to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for receiving paid speaking and consulting work from Depomed, from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.
According to the Open Payments database, Depomed (now known as Assertio Therapeutics, Inc) paid Sacks $59,748.24 in general payments during 2016 while Purdue paid Sacks $74,493.83 in general payments for all years available in the database (currently 2016 through 2021).
No Wrongdoing and Future Cooperation
Dr. Sacks denied the allegations made by the DOJ and the settlement agreement is not an admission of liability by Dr. Sacks or a...
The author and behavioural scientist, Gad Saad, has just published a book on what he calls “suicidal empathy”. He says that “a society dies when it cares more about exhibiting infinite tolerance a...