Compounding pharmacies investigated for possible fraud tied to pain creams

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating potential fraudulent claims and billing linked to specialty creams manufactured by compounding pharmacies. Investigators have asserted that many of these specialty creams have little or no medicinal value. Michael Weinstein, a former trial attorney with the Justice Department, says the issue is with the alleged false claims, not the compounds themselves. “If they’re using any regulated drug, then obviously FDA would have previously examined the drug for its effectiveness and things like that,” says Weinstein.