Wikipedia

Stefan P. Kruszewski

Stefan Philip Kruszewski is an American clinical and forensic psychiatrist, active as a whistleblower in medically related cases.[1] He is principal in the company which bears his name, Stefan P. Kruszewski, M.D. & Associates, P.C. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.[2]

Kruszewski in 2011

Career

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Psychiatrist

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A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Medical School, Kruszewski has over 30 years of clinical and teaching experience in the field of psychiatry, with particular focus on addictionology, neuropsychiatry and neuropharmacology.[3][4]

Kruszewski is a forensic specialist and has worked with both plaintiff and defense litigation. He has testified as an expert witness[5] in a range of cases involving antipsychotic medications[6]), antidepressant medications,[7][8][9] analgesic medications (including opioids),[1][10] and a range of psychiatric illnesses.[11][12] Kruszewski has been recognized as a "distinguished expert" by senior federal judge, the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (June 2007).[6] He has been recognized as a psychiatric expert by the Honorable Patti B. Saris and testified in the Federal Daubert hearings in US District Court of Massachusetts (May 2009).[13] Honorable Judge Rhonda E. Fischer has also accepted and affirmed expert testimony by Kruszewski in the Frye Hearings in District Court of the County of Nassau, New York State (Jan-May 2009).[7][14]

Fraud investigator

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As a fraud investigator for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2003, Kruszewski uncovered the abuse and medical mistreatment of children and the mentally ill in residential treatment centers, and was eventually fired for trying to expose what he had discovered.[15][16] Kruszewski brought suit for First Amendment claims against the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and in June 2007 he was awarded a settlement.[17] Also resulting, Kruszewski filed his first qui tam lawsuit which settled in 2009 against Southwood Psychiatric Hospital.[18][19]

He has been a relator in two additional successful qui tam lawsuits: the first against Pfizer for its drug Bextra which settled in October 2009,[20][21][22][23] and the second against AstraZeneca for its drug Seroquel which settled in April 2010.[1][24][25][26]

Whistleblower

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Kruszewski is a three-time successful whistleblower, with settlements from suits brought against Southwood Psychiatric Hospital, Pfizer, Inc., and AstraZeneca. Kruszewski became aware of inadequate care and the exploiting of state-committed mentally ill children through overmedication and physical and chemical restraints while working for the Department of Public Welfare, Bureau of Program Integrity for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. When he refused to keep silent about his discoveries, he was fired from his position at the state.[27] Kruszewski won settlements for both a First Amendment case against the state of Pennsylvania[17] as well as his first qui tam lawsuit against the hospital.[28] In the cases against pharmaceutical giants, Pfizer[29] and AstraZeneca,[30] Kruszewski highlighted clinical science that was misrepresented by the defendants in their marketing and promotion of certain drugs. He also demonstrated problems with off-label marketing (marketing that promotes uses, patients or doses that are not approved by the US FDA) which resulted in heightened, but often non-transparent, risk to the health of patients and exceptional costs to taxpayers and state and federal governments.[23][25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "AstraZeneca Case Rewards Two Whistleblowers With $45 Million". Bloomberg.com. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  2. ^ Kruszewski, SP (March 28, 2011). "Doctors' Conflicting Interests Can Cost Money and Lives, and Hinder Medical Discoveries". ABC News. Retrieved November 18, 2018. ABC News.com: Health: Wellness. Available from ABC World News
  3. ^ Kruszewski's complete resume: "Forensic Psychiatry". March 27, 2012. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  4. ^ Fitzharris, Dustin (May 26, 2011). "The Problem with Pot". The Advocate. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  5. ^ You're in Good Company Archived 2012-03-12 at the Wayback Machine Law Journal Television. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  6. ^ a b Weinstein. Memorandum, Order, & Judgment. Zyprexa Products Liability Litigation. Monty Souther, Robert Cusella, Judith New, Beverly Pearson, Donna Worthington v Eli Lilly & Company. Nos. 04-MD-1596, 06-CV-1729. US District Court, Eastern District, New York. 489 F. Supp.2d 230 (2007).
  7. ^ a b State of New York v. Brandon W. Hampson, No. 2006NA021294, N.Y. Dist., 1st Dist., Nassau Co.; 2009 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2182
  8. ^ Mitev, Vesselin (September 11, 2009). "Antidepressant Withdrawal Is Blamed for Assault". New York Law Journal. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  9. ^ Michelle P. LaBaer v Pfizer, Inc. No.294236V. Circuit Court for Montgomery County Maryland.
  10. ^ Daniel B. Timmons v The Purdue Pharma Company; Purdue Pharma LP; The Purdue Frederick Company; The P.F. Laboratories Inc.; The Abbott Laboratories; Abbott Laboratories, Inc. and Mallinckdrodt Inc. 8:04-CV-1479-T-26MAP. US District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
  11. ^ "Brobst v Workers Compensation Appeal Board Schuylkill Products Inc". May 23, 2003. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  12. ^ Keen, Judy (August 26, 2007). "Legal Battle Ends Over Stuttering Experiment". USA Today. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  13. ^ Saris, USDJ. "In Re Neurontin Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation: This Document Relates to: All Products Liability Actions" Mdl No 1629 Civ Action No 04-10981-PBS (United States District Court, District of Massachusetts)
  14. ^ "New York Judge Allows Zoloft Causation Opinion In Defense of Assault Charges" (PDF). Mealey's Daubert Report. 13 (9): 19. September 2009.
  15. ^ "Medicating Amanda". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  16. ^ Jankovich, Delores (2006). "Important Highlights of the 2006 ICSPP Conference" (PDF). ICSPP Newsletter (4). ICSPP: 3–4.
  17. ^ a b Stefan P. Kruszewski v Pfizer Inc., et al. Settlement Agreement. No. 04-1420 (United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  18. ^ Hartman, Patty (April 22, 2009). "U.S. Attorney Announces First Settlement Involving Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities" (PDF). Eastern District, Pennsylvania: United States Attorney's Office. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  19. ^ Marketwired (April 23, 2009). "Fish & Richardson and the U.S. Department of Justice Settle Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Case at Southwood Psychiatric Hospital in Pennsylvania". SYS-CON Publications, Inc. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  20. ^ "Pfizer Pays $2.3 Billion to Settle Marketing Case". The New York Times. September 2, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  21. ^ Settlement Agreement Between United States and Pfizer, Inc. August 2009.
  22. ^ "Pfizer agrees record fraud fine". BBC News. September 9, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  23. ^ a b Howard, Lee (October 4, 2009). "Lawsuit hits credibility of Pfizer drug and research". The Day. The Day Publishing Company. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  24. ^ Jim Edwards (April 28, 2010). "Behind Two Big Drug Company Settlements: Professional Whistleblowers". CBS News. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  25. ^ a b Deming, Tavy and Brian Kenney (April 28, 2010). "AstraZeneca Pays $520 Million to Settle Seroquel Whistleblower Claims". PRWeb. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  26. ^ Wilson, Duff (October 2, 2010). "Side Effects May Include Lawsuits". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  27. ^ Stefan P. Kruszewski v Pfizer Inc., et al. No. 04-1420 (United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  28. ^ United States of America ex rel. Stefan P. Kruszewski v Southwood Psychiatric Hospital; and Youth and Family Centered Services, Inc. a/k/a YFCS, Inc. Civil Action No. 05-1839 (Eastern District Pennsylvania)
  29. ^ United States et al. ex rel. Stefan Kruszewski v. Pfizer, Inc., Civ. No. 07-4106 (Eastern District Pennsylvania)
  30. ^ United States of America ex rel. Stefan Kruszewski v. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Civil Action No. 06-4004 (Eastern District Pennsylvania)
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