An Orlando, Fla., cardiologist has been indicted for his facilitation in a scheme to submit millions of dollars in settlement claims to a pharmaceutical company's trust, according to a Bloomberg report.
Wyeth, a pharmaceutical company, manufactured two drugs, Pondimin and Redux, which patients combined with generic phentermine to suppress their appetite. In 1997, after researchers linked the drug combination to heart damage and lung disease, Wyeth pulled the drugs off the market and then created a $21 billion trust to resolve personal-injury claims.
Adbur Razzak Tai, MD, allegedly falsely certified patients to qualify for settlement payments from Wyeth. Dr. Tai, who allegedly agreed to read echocardiograms for patients, has been accused of receiving $100 from at least one claimant's attorney for each echocardiogram he read. He also allegedly received $1,500 for each claimant who qualified for the benefits, according to the report.
Dr. Tai allegedly wrote reports and signed certifications saying some patients and suffered heart damage when they, in fact, did not, according to the report.
Read the Bloomberg report about Dr. Adbur Razzak Tai's alleged fraud.
Read other coverage about physician fraud:
- Florida Cardiovascular Surgeon, Wife to Pay $22.6M to Settle Medicare Fraud Allegations
- Plea Agreement Stalled for New Jersey Vascular Surgeon Indicted for Filing $8.5M in False Claims
- 10 Recent Headlines Involving Physician Fraud
Wyeth, a pharmaceutical company, manufactured two drugs, Pondimin and Redux, which patients combined with generic phentermine to suppress their appetite. In 1997, after researchers linked the drug combination to heart damage and lung disease, Wyeth pulled the drugs off the market and then created a $21 billion trust to resolve personal-injury claims.
Adbur Razzak Tai, MD, allegedly falsely certified patients to qualify for settlement payments from Wyeth. Dr. Tai, who allegedly agreed to read echocardiograms for patients, has been accused of receiving $100 from at least one claimant's attorney for each echocardiogram he read. He also allegedly received $1,500 for each claimant who qualified for the benefits, according to the report.
Dr. Tai allegedly wrote reports and signed certifications saying some patients and suffered heart damage when they, in fact, did not, according to the report.
Read the Bloomberg report about Dr. Adbur Razzak Tai's alleged fraud.
Read other coverage about physician fraud:
- Florida Cardiovascular Surgeon, Wife to Pay $22.6M to Settle Medicare Fraud Allegations
- Plea Agreement Stalled for New Jersey Vascular Surgeon Indicted for Filing $8.5M in False Claims
- 10 Recent Headlines Involving Physician Fraud