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]
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
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]
^Michelle P. LaBaer v Pfizer, Inc. No.294236V. Circuit Court for Montgomery County Maryland.
^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.
^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)
^Stefan P. Kruszewski v Pfizer Inc., et al. No. 04-1420 (United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
^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)
^United States et al. ex rel. Stefan Kruszewski v. Pfizer, Inc., Civ. No. 07-4106 (Eastern District Pennsylvania)
^United States of America ex rel. Stefan Kruszewski v. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Civil Action No. 06-4004 (Eastern District Pennsylvania)