UCLA, Surgeon Reach $10M Settlement In Whistleblower Retaliation Case

The University of California has reached a $10 million settlement with the former chair of orthopedic surgery at UCLA, who claimed he was the subject of retaliation after he blew the whistle on the school’s medical program. The surgeon, Dr. Robert Pedowitz, alleged that the medical school allowed  doctors to take industry payments under a scenario that may have compromised patient care. The school denies any wrongdoing by faculty members and said no evidence suggests patient care had been jeopardized, but settled “to end a prolonged conflict and permit UCLA Health Sciences to refocus on its primary missions of teaching, research, patient care, and community engagement.” As part of the deal, Pedowitz left the UCLA faculty.