Whistleblower News From The Inside -- July 7, 2017

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

Poor Patient Care at Many Nursing Homes Despite Stricter Oversight — While special focus status is one of the federal government’s strictest forms of oversight, nursing homes that were forced to undergo such scrutiny often slide back into providing dangerous care, according to an analysis of federal health inspection data.  Of 528 nursing homes that graduated from special focus status before 2014 and are still operating, slightly more than half — 52 percent — have since harmed patients or put patients in serious jeopardy within the past three years.  Some gave patients the wrong medications, failed to protect them from violent or bullying residents and staff members, or neglected to tell families or physicians about injuries. NYT

Ex-Audi Manager Charged by U.S. in Emissions-Cheating Case — A former Audi AG manager, Giovanni Pamio, was charged with fraud by the U.S. for his alleged role in helping Volkswagen AG cheat U.S. emissions standards.  Pamio is the eighth person charged in the U.S. case against Volkswagen, which has cost the automaker more than $24 billion in government penalties and owner restitution. Bloomberg

Permanent Injunction Against Alabama Pharmacy to Prevent Distribution of Adulterated and Misbranded Drugs — The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Medistat RX LLC and several individuals enjoining them from distributing adulterated, misbranded and unapproved new drugs.  According to the complaint, FDA investigators observed a number of unsanitary conditions at Medistat, including the continuation of aseptic drug production when significant microbial contamination was present in the aseptic processing areas, and the failure to use sterile wipes to clean critical surfaces in the pharmacy. DOJ