Healthy Skepticism Library item: 965

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Publication type: news

Sullivan J.
Official fined for ethics breach: The state's top pharmacist plans to appeal a ruling that a pharmaceutical firm gave him cash and trips.
Philadelphia Inquirer 2005 Apr 15

Full text:

The top pharmacist at the state Department of Public Welfare violated the state ethics act by receiving money and trips from a pharmaceutical company while recommending that the state buy the company’s products, according to a ruling issued yesterday by the state Ethics Commission.

Steven J. Fiorello, who still works as the head of agency’s pharmacy division, also must pay $27,268 in penalties and restitution. The commission referred his case to the state Attorney General’s Office for possible criminal prosecution, according to the ruling.

Public welfare officials declined to comment on the case until they review the ruling.
Fiorello violated the State Ethics Act on 20 occasions, according to the ruling, by using his position with the state for personal gain and by failing to disclose his financial relationship with a drug company seeking to do business with the state.

Fiorello received at least $5,500 in honoraria and other compensation from Pfizer Inc., while he served as the secretary of a state board in charge of choosing drugs to be used in treating mentally ill patients under state care, investigators said.
Fiorello disputes that amount. At the time, Pfizer was seeking to sell the state drugs and some of its drugs were eventually included on a state list of preferred drugs that is widely used at state institutions.

The ethics board cleared Fiorello on six allegations, including those related to funds received from Janssen Pharmaceutica because the funds came after the company sought business from the state.

In statement issued yesterday, Fiorello said he was sorry for those activities and that, while he disagreed with the ruling, he would abide by it. But reached by phone at his office later, Fiorello said he would appeal it.

“It was unfair,” Fiorello said. “I feel I was singled out.”