RESEARCHER FAKED MEDICAL RECORDS AND VET DIED DURING RESEARCH PROJECT

For years many veterans' groups have been critical of the VA's research arm, claiming that they bend the rules when it comes to getting veterans into research projects.

Now, a former VA researcher is going to prison because he did just that...and killed a veteran.

Story here... http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--drugtrials-senten1121nov21,0,3468996.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

Quote of note:  A former cancer researcher at an upstate Veterans Affairs hospital was sentenced Monday to 71 months in prison for criminally negligent homicide in the death of an Air Force veteran enrolled in a drug experiment.  Paul Kornak, who admitted forging medical records at the Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 1999-2002 to make dozens of patients eligible to participate in drug studies, also pleaded guilty last year to mail fraud and making a false statement.

This incident led to a VA IG study that found incredible problems at VA research facilities around the country.

 An attorney with whom I correspond has cited numerous incidents at VA research facilities that give one pause.

Here is a story from February about abuses at the VA's Albany research facility... http://query.nytimes.com/gst/health/article-page.html?res=9E06EFDE1E3BF935A35751C0A9639C8B63

I certainly hope the VA has learned something from this.

Larry Scott

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