Boeing 737 Max Was Plagued With Production Problems, Whistle-Blower Says

NEW YORK TIMES

Ed Pierson, a former senior manager at the 737 factory, believes production problems may have contributed to two deadly crashes. He will testify before Congress on Wednesday.

Employees at the Renton, Wash., factory where the Max is produced were overworked, exhausted and making mistakes, Mr. Pierson said in an interview. A cascade of damaged parts, missing tools and incomplete instructions was preventing planes from being built on time. Executives were pressuring workers to complete planes despite staff shortages and a chaotic factory floor. read more »

Opioid manufacturers made parody rap videos to help push products

THE GUARDIAN

Opioid manufacturers made parody music videos in an effort to inspire salespeople to push doctors to prescribe more of their highly addictive products.

Newly released videos show opioid manufacturers produced music videos, sponsored local news segments and held dramatic new launches for products even after they were warned against aggressive marketing. read more »

Massachusetts Lab to Pay $26M for Scheme With Texas Doctors

NEW YORK TIMES

Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation agreed to pay nearly $27 million to settle claims that it allegedly paid doctors in Texas and waived patient co-payments in exchange for lab tests it then billed to federal healthcare programs, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

The allegations were made in two separate cases by whistleblowers who went to federal officials in California and the District of Columbia. Whistleblowers Chris Riedel and Claudia Bradshaw will receive approximately $4.36 million of the settlement. read more »