On October 8, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1286 (AB 1286), a sweeping pharmacy measure with several components aimed at promoting patient safety. Chief among AB 1286’s mandates is a new law requiring that community pharmacies report
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Federal Judge Orders Whistleblower Who Filed a “Frivolous” Qui Tam to Pay Over $1 Million for Defendants’ Attorneys’ Fees
Most experienced False Claims Act (FCA) practitioners are all too familiar with the statutory provision requiring defendants to pay whistleblowers’ attorneys’ fees at the end of FCA cases. What is less commonly known is the provision that grants defendants their…
Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Pending Bill Calls for Tougher Protections
U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently introduced a bill addressing cybersecurity protections and oversight in the healthcare industry. The Strengthening Cybersecurity in Health Care Act, introduced on February 8, 2024, aims to bolster a vulnerable…
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act: Comprehensive Final Rule Expected in 2024
In the United States, mental health (“MH”) and substance use disorder (“SUD”) (collectively “MH/SUD”) have continued to represent areas of intense concern. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the MH struggles of essential workers and health care professionals were pushed to the…
Avoiding the Landmines on the Path to HealthTech Innovation
Every year, I look forward to the SXSW Interactive Health & MedTech Track, which showcases and explores the future of healthcare technology being created by innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts. This year is no different!…
Closing the Gap: Medical Device Innovation, Frontline Healthcare Workers, and the Role of AI
The recent, rapid advancement of the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI) has revolutionized various industries. It is unsurprising then, that at this year’s South by Southwest Conference (SXSW), there are more AI related panels than any other…
A Non-Expert with Expertise: Navigating the Risks and Rewards of Testimony from Highly Sophisticated Professional Employees in Federal Court
Corporate defendants are frequently faced with a quandary—is the company’s highly sophisticated professional employee simply a fact witness or does their anticipated testimony propel them into the world of expert discovery? The individual knows the business inside and out, and…
Federal Court Reduces FCA Penalties by 82 Percent Because of Excessive Fines Clause Concerns
Husch Blackwell’s False Claims Act team previously covered the results of a rare False Claims Act (FCA) trial in which a federal jury found that a surgical product distributor was liable for paying kickbacks to physicians. The federal judge overseeing…
Advancing Military Mental Health
Research into psychedelic-assisted therapy receives funding in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.
In an epoch marked by rapid innovation in mental health treatments, a paradigm shift is on the horizon for the well-being of our armed…
Psychedelic Breakthroughs: Key Considerations for Clinical Trials
Psychedelics have the potential to treat chronic conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), fibromyalgia, and various behavioral health conditions, yet psychedelics are not like traditional pharmaceuticals. The mode of administration often involves a psychotherapy component,…