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A class action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against California research company Medicus Research LLC alleging that the company did not pay study participants as agreed when they entered various research projects.
Lead plaintiff Francesca Gallard alleges in the class action lawsuit that Medicus, operating as Staywell Research, agreed to pay her $1,000 for participating in a weight loss study that involved taking a weight loss powder and multiple visits to the doctor’s office in July of 2013.
“Plaintiff was required to appear at Defendant’s place of business twice each month, with each visit lasting approximately two to three hours,” the class action lawsuit alleges. “During the visits, Plaintiff was weighed, asked a series of questions regarding her study participation, and would drop off used weight loss powder containers in exchange for the next dose of weight loss powder.” However, Staywell has not paid her and refuses to send a copy of the contract she signed with them, according to the class action lawsuit.
Gallard alleges that Staywell and the lead researcher on the study, Dr. Sanjay K. Udani, have refused to pay and created other barriers to payment for thousands of other California research participants. Twenty complaints have been filed against Staywell with the Business Consumer Alliance and a Facebook page dedicated to getting Staywell to pay participants has been set up, according to the class action lawsuit. Additionally, Staywell “direct[s] complaints from participants seeking owed compensation to a call center, which is rarely answered,” the class action lawsuit alleges. Further, Staywell allegedly “instruct[s] representatives working the call center to not provide callers with information regarding compensation.”
In addition to failing to pay research participants as contracted, the class action lawsuit also alleges that Staywell violated the California Protection of Human Subjects in Medical Experimentation Act by not obtaining proper informed consent. Gallard argues that the research participants would not have agreed to take part in the study if Staywell had not promised to provide compensation.
“Medical breakthroughs truly owe their existence to the human subjects who volunteer for studies,” says Gallard in the Staywell class action lawsuit. “The need to perform medical studies on humans, however, must be balanced against the need for protection of the individual who is to serve as the subject,” she continues.
“One safeguard … is the requirement that informed consent be properly obtained by the prospective subject prior to the initiation of their participation in any clinical study,” the Staywell class action lawsuit says. “Obtaning informed consent involves informing the subject about his or her rights, the purpose of the study, procedures to be undergone, potential known risks, and benefits of participation, including if payment is to be received.”
Gallard is represented by Gillian L. Wade and Allison K. Willett of Milstein Adelman LLP and Kenneth J. Grunfeld of Golomb & Honik PC.
The Staywell Class Action Lawsuit is Gallard, et al. v. Medicus Research LLC, et al., Case No. BC571558, in the Superior Court of the State of California, Los Angeles County.
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63 thoughts onClass Action Accuses Staywell Research of Not Paying Subjects
I as well like to be part of this lawsuit. I am owned $400 by Staywell and I complied everything that I was asked for and I have not seen or have received my compensation, please add me or contact me about this lawsuit.
Staywell research owes me money and would like to join the suit
My study ended Jun 28th 2014, I did 26 weeks. and I am owed $1000. not paid. I would love to get in on this suit.
wow, amazing that this company and Dr can get away without paying all these people including myself….and still continue with their practice and/or research. They have bounced a check which was suppose to be an agreed payment to me and since then have not received payment for bounced check or balance of what is owed to me. I hope that this will all catch up with them and all their participants will be paid what is owed to them.
would like to join class action lawsuit. i am only owed $500. but i did do the study and completed it in good faith. they never return my phone calls or emails.
I too completed a study September 2014 and should have received all my money by January 2015. They own me $1,000 as well. Please add me to this lawsuit.
I am owed $1,835 for two studies one I completed November 2013 and the second one was may 2014 can I be added to the class action suit
hi Tobi Raphael Staywell owes me 2400. Since dec 30. Could i get on this class action law suit.
I was also in a study and finished in on 8/20/2014 and was due $1000.00 for completing and have yet to be paid and keep getting the run around about my compensation.
Hi Dana, I also was not paid the $1,000 for my study participation ending the same time. Have you received anything or gotten into a law suit against them? Thanks, Melinda
I was also affected by Staywell Research, I was promised pay and didnt receive payment. the payment I received was returned to me NSF. I want to know how I can be apart of the case action lawsuit.
I am going to attempt to get many who are here if they are on Facebook, then you are more than welcome to join the closed group Staywell Research Scammed Us, its a close knit group who are communicating with those have been swindled by Staywell and Dr. Udani, since this week alone I have many phone numbers that I will be more than happy to give all in getting us, and I refer as the all of us who have been swindled by Staywell. Please feel free to join. We are not going to give up!!!
I would like some info about this claim… its been over one year and I haven’t been paid… im sick tires and angry I need my money… pls anyone can give me some info???
I too have not been paid in full by Staywell Research -Calls to them are meaningless-I contacted State of Ca Dept of Consumer Affairs and County of LA Consumer Affairs. and reported Staywell. I would also like to join any legal action against them
I too was scammed by Staywell they are filing bankruptcy as you probably already know. I did request to be part of the Facebook group but still havent been accepted are you guys still pursuing the class action suit being that they filed for bankruptcy.
I didn’t get paid and I would like to know how do I get my money.
Many Clinical trials advertise a specific amount to be paid to participants , and if you apply and they schedule a prequalification exam to verify you as eligible,, during that time you need to obtain a written contract that details their expectations and promised compensation, as well as any instance that may arise that could result in non payment. People who react badly to medication or miss an appointment or who may be for any reason determined to be anything other than ideal for the study they need in most cases specific results and if they think your statistics will hurt their chance to market a drug you will likely be removed from the study and if you are dismissed early, often it is without Compensation .These clinical studies should not be allowed to advertise a specific rate of pay unless they can in all circumstances provide that payment to all who they choose to be participants People chosen for these trials are most often young people who have limited income or education and who are easily taken advantage of.