The American Hospital Association has filed an amicus brief today in the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that information obtained by private citizens through the Freedom of Information Act cannot be the basis for pursuing a False Claims Act case, according to an AHA News Now report.
A lower court decision would allow private citizens, or "relators," to file an FCA case on behalf of the federal government simply by obtaining publicly available information. In the brief, AHA said that the public disclosure bar, under which relators can only pursue legal action under FCA with information not available to the government, has been a fundamental key to ensuring only "true whistleblowers" could pursue qui tam litigation.
Read the news report about the AHA's amicus brief on whistleblower FCA lawsuits.
Read other coverage about false claims lawsuits:
- Department of Justice Recovers $3B in False Claims Act Lawsuits in FY 2010
- AARP to Join False Claims Lawsuit Against Pharmaceutical Companies
- Novartis Pays $422M to Settle Allegations of Illegal Drug Promotion, False Claims, Paying Kickbacks
A lower court decision would allow private citizens, or "relators," to file an FCA case on behalf of the federal government simply by obtaining publicly available information. In the brief, AHA said that the public disclosure bar, under which relators can only pursue legal action under FCA with information not available to the government, has been a fundamental key to ensuring only "true whistleblowers" could pursue qui tam litigation.
Read the news report about the AHA's amicus brief on whistleblower FCA lawsuits.
Read other coverage about false claims lawsuits:
- Department of Justice Recovers $3B in False Claims Act Lawsuits in FY 2010
- AARP to Join False Claims Lawsuit Against Pharmaceutical Companies
- Novartis Pays $422M to Settle Allegations of Illegal Drug Promotion, False Claims, Paying Kickbacks