20 hours ago — Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA ... Drug products compounded in an outsourcing facility can qualify for
The Law of Compounding Medications And Drugs
Human Medications, Human Drugs, Animal Medications, Animal Drugs, Pharmacy law, Pharmaceutical law, Compounding law, Sterile and Non Sterile Compounding 797 Compliance, Veterinary law, Veterinary Compounding Law; Health Care; Awareness of all Types of Compounding Issues; Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), Outsourcing Facilities Food and Drug Administration and Compliance Issues
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
| Chuckin' Clouds Vape Shop Inc | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded | ||||
| Smooth Vapes, Inc. | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded | ||||
| Cloud Chasers Apothecary LLC | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded | ||||
| Cloudchasor LLC | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded | ||||
| Bulldog Vapor LLC | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded | ||||
| Dr Crimmy LLC d/b/a Dr. Crimmy’s V-Liquid | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
| Umbrella | Division of Pharmaceutical Quality Operations IV | Dietary Supplement/Misbranded | ||||
| Molecular BioLife International, Inc. | Office of Human and Animal Foods West Division II | New Drug/Misbranded | ||||
| Fresh Nutrition Inc | Office of Human and Animal Food Operations –West Division 5 | Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded | ||||
| Daisy Global Trading Co | Division of West Coast Imports | Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) | ||||
| Jaramillo Spices Corp. | Division of Southwest Imports | Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) | ||||
| Pure Vapor USA LP | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded | ||||
| Mr Lukas LLC | Division of Southwest Imports | Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) | ||||
| DRF LLC | Office of Human and Animal Foods Operations- West Division | New Drug/Misbranded | ||||
| Tuty Usa LLC | Division of Southwest Imports | Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) | ||||
| Session Supply Company | Center for Tobacco Products | Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Friday, June 18, 2021
How many more pain management doctors/organizations and compounding pharmacies/pharmacists have been illegally working together like the recent indictment in McAllen? Are we getting ready to see another series of indictments and massive money recovered in this area?
"PFP marketers with pre-filled prescription pads intended to be given to physicians. The charges allege these included compound drugs and other prescription items that would yield the highest possible reimbursement to PFP, without regard to medical necessity."
Every entity involved in these pre-printed prescription pads could potentially be indicted if they illegally profited and/or violated the law. Some of them were published on the internet and even though the people involved may have attempted to remove them...law enforcement should still be able to do forensics and retrieve them all.
As the indictments and prosecutions for compounding pharmacy fraud continue, one has to wonder how many more pharmacies and individuals will be indicted? Will those who have been found guilty be precluded from dealing with the federal government in anyway such as Medicare, Tricare, reimbursements etc. Will there be a list of prohibited businesses and individuals who cannot do business with the U.S. government?
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Seven charged for roles in a $110 million compound drug scheme
McALLEN, Texas – A compound pharmacy owner, three marketers, a referring physician and two clinic office staff have been taken into custody in connection with a multi-million dollar health care fraud and kickback scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal grand jury sitting in McAllen returned a 15-count indictment charging John Ageudo Rodriguez, 51, Mohammad Imtiaz Chowdhury, 40, his father Dr. Tajul Shams Chowdhury, 71, and Alex Flores Jr., 51, all of McAllen; Hector DeLaCruz, Jr., 50, Edinburg; Araceli Gaona, 35, Mission; and Erika Hernandez Salinas, 38, Donna.
All are expected to have their initial appearances tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker.
The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive illegal kickbacks and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Rodriguez was the owner of Pharr Family Pharmacy (PFP), according to the indictment. From May 2014 to September 2016, PFP allegedly billed various federal health care programs more than $110 million, including claims that were false, fraudulent and the result of illegal kickbacks.
According to the indictment, Mohammad Chowdhury, Flores and DeLaCruz were purported marketers for PFP who were the conduits for several million dollars in kickbacks relating to the referral of prescriptions for high-reimbursing compound drugs to the pharmacy. In numerous instances, the marketers allegedly received kickbacks from Rodriguez, which they shared with referring physicians.
Dr. Chowdhury is a physician with a medical practice in Edinburg known as Center for Pain Management, according to the charges, while Gaona and Salinas were employees at the clinic. The indictment alleges Mohammad Chowdhury paid kickbacks to his father for referring prescriptions to PFP, including prescriptions for high-reimbursing compound drugs that were not medically necessary nor what the patients wanted. Gaona and Salinas are charged with conspiring to pay and receive kickbacks and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with their alleged receipt of kickbacks to help coordinate the flow of prescriptions from the medical clinic to the pharmacy.
The indictment alleges Rodriguez and his co-conspirators targeted specific health care benefit programs known to pay high reimbursements for compound drugs, such as Federal Employee’s Compensation Program, TRICARE, Medicare and various private insurance plans.
As part of the scheme, Rodriguez allegedly provided PFP marketers with pre-filled prescription pads intended to be given to physicians. The charges allege these included compound drugs and other prescription items that would yield the highest possible reimbursement to PFP, without regard to medical necessity.
If convicted of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, they face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 possible five. The penalty for conspiracy to pay and receive illegal kickbacks is five years with a $25,000 maximum fine. Those charged and convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering face up to 20 years in prison and fine of up to $500,000.
The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG), FBI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor-OIG, Veterans Affairs-OIG, Texas Health and Human Services—OIG, Department of Health and Human Services-OIG, and Texas Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Asha Natarajan are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Topic(s):
Health Care Fraud
Component(s):
Updated June 17, 2021
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