False Claims Act Update & Alert
	Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund | Washington, D.C. | WWW.TAF.ORG           May 12, 2009
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		Subscribe to this FREE Newsletter Enter your Email Powered by FeedBlitz n TAF Home Page n Previous Newsletters n Email editor   Please take a moment to forward this FREE electronic newsletter to others that might be interested!	House Strengthens FCA The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 sailed through the House by a vote of 367 to 59, and is the first significant amendment to the False Claims Act in nearly 25 years.  The Senate passed a similar vote, by a vote of 92-4 on April 28th. >> To read more
			DoJ Joins Lawsuit Against Wyeth over Protonix In August of 2008 Wyeth was subpoenaed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts for documents related to the marketing and pricing of acid reflux drug Protonix.  Now, a close reading of the company's May 7th 10-Q shows DoJ has joined the case. Not said:  Wyeth is due to be taken over by Pfizer as of August 1st.
			Getting More For Your Money Kathleen Sebelius, the new head of HHS, recently bragged that at HHS "We estimate that for every $1 we spend to stop fraud in the system, we save $1.55.”  All good, but we would be remiss if we did not point out that False Claims Act cases return $15 for ever $1 invested in investigations and prosecutions.  >> To read more
			DoJ Budget Increase According to DoJ's "Protecting the Federal Fisc" fact sheet, the FY 2010 DoJ Budget request of $26.7 billion includes a $62.6 million increase and a total of 379 positions (including 54 agents and 165 attorneys) "to aggressively pursue mortgage fraud, corporate fraud, and other economic crimes." Of the total increase $10 million is slated to go to Civil, with half of this to go to "automated litigation support."  Civil will also get 87 attorneys for litigation related to TARP.
			The High Cost of Low Morals Daiichi bought Ranbaxy Laboratories -- one of the largest generic drug makers in the world -- for $4.9 billion last year, but the company is now worth $1.4 billion -- less than one third of its purchase price (and still declining) after a U.S. import ban on Ranbaxy products.  Ranbaxy is under investigation for making weak or adulterated HIV drugs given to thousands of AIDS patients in Africa and billed to the U.S. Government under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program (PEPFAR).
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