Rheumatologist Agrees to Settle Allegations of Administering Unapproved Drugs to Patients
- January 30, 2026
Rheumatologist Steven L. Mendelsohn agreed to pay $549,554.26 to resolve False Claims Act allegations arising from the submission of reimbursement claims to Medicare for prescription arthritis drugs that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing and distribution in the United States, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson announced January 28.
According to a press release, in 2019, Mendelsohn sought reimbursement from Medicare for immunosuppressive drugs that were administered intravenously to his patients to treat rheumatoid arthritis that were not purchased from a licensed or authorized drug distributor.
The government alleged that the drugs were intended for foreign markets and were not approved by the FDA for marketing and distribution in the United States.
The settlement resolves allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.