UPDATED: Note To Readers: State of California exrel. Melayna Lokosky vs. Acclarent, Inc.;Ethicon, Inc.; and Johnson & Johnson
June 26, 2015
Note to readers:
The information provided below will likely generate more questions than I’m transparently able to answer at this time. Please know it is not my intention to deceive or manipulate, as that is inconsistent & contradictory to the goal of this site which is exposing the truth; and, I will provide more facts as I’m able-Thank you for your understanding-Melayna Lokosky
J&J Hit with New Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Suit
Acclarent, a startup acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2010, knowingly marketed its Relieva Stratus MicroFlow spacer for an unproven drug delivery use, according to a former employee’s whistleblower complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The new lawsuit, State of California exrel. Melayna Lokosky vs. Acclarent, Inc.;Ethicon, Inc.; and Johnson & Johnson, maintains that J&J, which acquiredAcclarent for $785 million in 2010, is culpable for millions of dollars in damages, as insurance companies were led to pay for Acclarent devices that were misbranded, medically unnecessary, and marketed to physicians for unproven off-label uses.
The rest of the story can be found on Qmed by Chris Newmarker & Brian Buntz
Information on the federally unsealed (which implies something else is still sealed federally) arrests & federal indictments of fomer Johnson & Johnson Ethicon Acclarent executives William (Bill) Facteau & Patrick (Pat) Fabian can be found here
Supreme Court saves Obamacare (or Affordable Care Act ACA) and regardless if you are for or against the decision one problem that’s not addressed with the ACA is the high cost of private health insurance. This is not a criticism of the Act it just means the healthcare discussion doesn’t end with the ACA it’s just the beginning of the discussion.
Despite federal evidence of fraud and billion dollar fines to pharma & medical device companies private health insurance companies write off that loss opposed to legally trying to recover it which would lower the cost of private health insurance. Instead it allows fraudulent pharma/medical device companies and private health insurance to essentially make a deal behind closed doors at the expense of taxpayers and employees who purchase private health insurance.
h) Health insurance fraud is a particular problem for health insurance policyholders. Although there are no precise figures, it is believed that fraudulent activities account for billions of dollars annually in added health care costs nationally. Health care fraud causes losses in premium dollars and increases health care costs unnecessarily
What the DOJ does federally to force accountability from fraudulent pharma & medical device companies the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act (California Insurance Code 1871.7) can do to force accountability from private health insurance in the State of California to force accountability back on to the pharma & med device companies who were overpaid for fraudulent devices or implants. Each state should lobby to have this same statute added as a means to address the high costs of private health insurance that’s not currently addressed within the ACA.
For more information on what the ACA & DOJ Forgot When it Comes to Healthcare Fraud California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act (California Insurance Code 1871.7) Didn’t
Represented by Delaney Kester, LLP (Boston & Los Angeles) and Kellogg, Huber Hansen, Todd Evans, and Figel, PLLC (Washington DC).
The full complaint can be found here:
1871.7 Complaint (LASC — BC530372) (Filed Under Seal on 12-13-13)
Lana Keeton
Thanks so much for being the Truth Teller! Praise God you made a very difficult decision to do the right thing, despite the losses you personally suffered. I wish you the very best!!
Melayna Lokosky
Thank you Lana-it’s you and the tens of thousands of injured Johnson & Johnson Ethicon Gynecare women that inspire me every day.
Dr Bombay
It appears that you were earning very high dollars to “push” this product into the marketplace i.e.(doctors offices). These products don’t land into the hands of physicians by themselves. All to often these medical products/pharmaceuticals are solicited and marketed with “incentives” to the care giver.
Sales representatives, medical device companies and doctors should evaluate their financial relationships to determine whether doctors are being paid legitimate compensation for valuable services rendered in the development of the devices or whether the companies are making the payments to secure competitive advantage in the highly lucrative and competitive medical device field and are kickbacks. Free vacations, unrestricted grants and consulting agreements are all part of this underworld.
Just wondering how long you were a partaker of this surreptitious process and why there is a lawsuit coincidentally after you were terminated. You speak of this 3rd person Prince like it was some uncontrollable force within you.
Sorry, we don’t see you as some Erin Brockovich, but someone who has an axe to grind. This product has been on the market since 2008-2009. How many of those millions of units were sold by you over all those years??
Melayna Lokosky
Candidly and transparently “very high dollars” were earned (feel free to reread the About section where I also state I’m not always likeable in my own story-and if you show me a person who is then I’ll show you a liar). The Sunshine Act is trying to address the issue of company/doctor relationships.
I do not speak in third person about the “Prince” of my career it’s a point I use to illustrate that I thought that I had found “the” career and “the” company; and, a point that is conveniently glossed over in your comment is reps were pathologically manipulated through lies and unknowingly took that information as fact and sold under false pretenses. The DOJ appears to have found similar information as two executives have been arrested and indicted.
“Sorry, we don’t see you as some Erin Brockovich” first, thank you as any comparison is now insulting and second the use of the plural “we” indicates you don’t think very much of your own opinion and coincidentally neither do I.
Janis Urban
Best of Luck Melayna. Jan Urban