Asthma Drug Study Coordinator Indicted
The Department of Justice (DoJ) says a Miami, FL, federal grand jury has indicted Jessica Palacio, Miami, on charges of conspiring to falsify clinical trial data for an asthma medication. A DoJ statement says Palacio worked as a study coordinator for Unlimited Medical Research, a Miami clinical trial firm.
The indictment says Palacio participated in a scheme to falsify medical records to make it appear as though pediatric subjects made scheduled visits to Unlimited Medical Research, received physical exams from a clinical investigator, and took study drugs as required, when those things had not occurred. The indictment also says that when an FDA investigator confronted her about her conduct, she made a false statement to the investigator.
The statement says that if she is convicted, Palacio faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five years in prison for making a false statement.