Big Pharmas' perspective of whistleblowing is shown up here through one of their front organizations, the "American Council on Science and Health" (ACSH).
The piece is written by the ACSHs' Gilbert Ross MD, Executive and Medical Director of the ACSH.
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.680/news_detail.asp
Ex-Pharmacia/Pfizer employee, Peter Rost (pic) tells Insider that "to be officially nominated "Whiny Whistleblower of the Year" by a paid front organization for Big Pharma is an honor, even more so since I apparently competed against two other PhRMA demons: Dr. David Graham, of the FDA, and Dr. Eric Topol, of the Cleveland Clinic."
The whistlblowers' path can be a lonely and difficult one. Whistleblowers are to be saluted, if they reveal corruption or malpractice. Clearly the US government sees their value, as they are sometimes rewarded for this activity.
Serono - Kickback in Cannes
Margaritagate
But what of the ACSHs' Good Doctor Ross?
Dr. Ross may not be ACSH's most prudent choice to question the character of others.
Although the biography posted on the organization's website doesn't mention it, Ross actually had to abandon medicine on July 24, 1995, when his license to practice as a physician in New York was revoked by the unanimous vote of a state administrative review board for professional misconduct.
Instead of tending to patients, Ross spent all of 1996 at a federal prison camp in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, having being sentenced to 46 months in prison for his participation in a scheme that ultimately defrauded New York's Medicaid program of approximately $8 million.
During a three-and-a-half-week jury trial, federal prosecutors laid bare Ross' participation in an enterprise, headed by one Mohammed Sohail Khan, to operate four sham medical clinics in New York City.
Ross testified at his trial that he had no knowledge of the ongoing fraud at the clinic where he worked. This defense only added to his troubles when, following his conviction, the judge ruled that Ross had obstructed justice by committing perjury.
In addition to his prison sentence, Ross was ordered to forfeit $40,000 and, for his role in the fraud, to pay restitution of $612,855—an amount that was later reduced to $85,137 on the grounds that he didn't have the assets to pay more.
In 1997 a judge sustained a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to bar Ross for 10 years from participating in either the Medicare or Medicaid programs, holding that he was "a highly untrustworthy individual" who had, at Khan's clinics, engaged in "medically indefensible" practices.
So, just one more year to go before the ban is lifted, eh Gilbert?
Read All About It
Insider is sure that Dr Ross is now fully rehabilitated and that this convicted felon has paid his debt to society. The USA is, after all, the "land of second chances"; look at Martha Stewart!
Regarding Dr Ross and his criticism of Mr Rost, however. The phrase : "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone" springs to mind.
6 comments:
http://www.acsh.org/news/newsID.1207/news_detail.asp
Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, founder and president of the American Council on Science and Health:
"It is obviously difficult and painful for Gil to read once again these rehashed, ancient charges. The reality is that the transgression did occur and that it has been paid for in full -- but that it has no relevance to his superb work at ACSH during the twenty-first century. Let us move on."
Sure. Let's just MoveOn.org No problem. Clinton had a White House intern perform fellatio in the Oval Office and argued about the meaning of the word 'is'; Ross just served a little jail time for writing scripts for expensive drugs for decrepit patients in a medicaid clinic (per the descriptions of what happened).
No reason not to trust the ethics of these fine people.
Of course, Rost is the guy who had been getting paid $400,000 per year by Pfizer at the same time he was trashing him. Sounds like a hypocrite to me.
Documentation of Ross' loss of license appears to be here:
http://w3.health.state.ny.us/opmc/factions.nsf/cd901a6816701d94852568c0004e3fb7/85b1e5abf211b2a585256a4a0047eb10/$FILE/ATTH2LGV/lc116347.pdf
(in case anyone has doubts)
Ross should not have written the "Whiney Whistlebower" piece.
He deserves all he now gets.
Pfizer were the ones thrashing Rost, not the other way around. Half of us here at Pfizer agree with Rost. Should we all leave too?
Hey Lizzy, it isn't "It is obviously difficult and painful for Gil to read once again these rehashed, ancient charges" it is "It is obviously difficult and painful for Gil to read once again these rehashed, convictions"!
You could say Gil is an honest man about as honest as George Walker B.
Do you think Gil would forgive me and forget all if I stole some money from him? I think Pfizer chose the right guy, it takes a special sort of character to understand a special sort of industry.....
Benedict
Post a Comment