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| Medical Trial Company Suspends Studies |
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One of the nation’s largest overseers of clinical medical trials on Tuesday agreed to suspend its approval of federally regulated medical studies. The company, Coast Independent Review Board, has become the subject of significant criticism since it unknowingly approved two fictitious trials as part of a federal undercover sting operation. Congressional hearings later revealed that Coast had rejected only one trial proposal during a five-year period. Barry Meier, The New York Times 04/14/2009
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The New York Times
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| Laws/Cases |
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| Nursing Company Settles Discrimination Lawsuit |
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A nursing home company has agreed to pay $450,000 to settle claims that it discriminated against employees who spoke Spanish at work. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit, Skilled Healthcare Group and several related nursing facilities used English-only rules to target Spanish speaking employees and even some residents for discrimination. The settlement covers as many as 53 workers at nursing homes in California and Texas. Teresa Watanabe, LA Times 04/16/2009
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LA Times
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| Nationwide Settles Overcharge Suit |
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Nationwide Insurance has agreed to a tentative $6 million settlement over allegations that it overcharged some policyholders for life insurance. The proposed settlement covers customers who purchased certain term-life insurance policies between 1990 and 2006. The settlement, which could cover as many as 200,000 policyholders, must still be approved by a judge. Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Dispatch 04/16/2009
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Columbus Dispatch
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| Quest Settles Whistleblower Claims |
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The Justice Department announced Wednesday that Quest Diagnostics will pay $302 million to a settle whistleblower claims alleging that a Quest subsidiary knowingly sold faulty diagnostic test kits. According to allegations, Nichols Institute Diagnostics continued to market its parathyroid test kits despite knowledge that the test sometimes produced elevated results. Under the settlement, the whistleblower will receive about $45 million. Reuters, Reuters 04/15/2009
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Reuters
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| County Settles Suit by Brain Injured Cyclist |
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A former endurance athlete who suffered a permanent brain injury in a bicycling accident will receive $3.5 million as part of a settlement with King County, the Seattle Times reports. Jeffrey Totten was thrown from his bicycle after hitting a hole left by a survey marker. The lawsuit claimed that the county failed to maintain the bicycle route in safe condition. The lawsuit will be used to pay for Totten’s lifetime care, an attorney said. Keith Ervin, The Seattle Times 04/15/2009
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The Seattle Times
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| Employee Claims She was Fired for Complaints of Fraud |
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A former employee of a Louisiana-based nursing provider has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of firing her for leveling allegations of fraudulent billing. Sally Christine Summers claims that she was fired from LHC Group Inc. after she complained that the company unnecessarily billed Medicare. The company maintains that Summers was fired for cause. AP, Forbes 04/15/2009
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Forbes
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| Lawsuit: Soldier Fired Because of Military Duty |
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A Pennsylvania Air National Guard reservist has filed a lawsuit accusing his former employer of firing him for taking time off for an injury suffered while he was on active duty. According to the lawsuit, UPMC Health Benefits Inc. violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act when it terminated Thomas Smith after he returned to work following rotator cuff surgery. The lawsuit seeks reinstatement of Smith to his old position, compensatory and punitive damages. Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 04/15/2009
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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| Study |
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| Study: Kids Harmed by Epilepsy Drug |
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A widely used medication for the treatment of epilepsy, migraines, pain and psychiatric disorders has been linked to significantly lower I.Q. scores in children whose mothers took the drug during pregnancy, the New York Times reports. According to a study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, children exposed to the drug valproate while in utero had I.Q. scores nine points lower than children whose mothers had taken another antiseizure medication. Valporate, also sold under the brand name Depakote, has previously been linked to other birth defects. Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times 04/15/2009
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The New York Times
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