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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 am owed over $1,000 for 2 studies how can I be included in this lawsuit to try to get my compensation?
I am also owed money and would like to join the suit.
I had used Staywell Research twice last year & have yet to get paid. I was promised $1,000 the first time & then i did a second study research in Northridge & was promised $900 but didnt get paid the first time that i did the study. Staywell Research owes me $1,900 for my two visits last year.
They owe me 620, what’s the link for the settlement I heard that they are finished handling it in court
I and my wife are owed over $500 each. I want in this class action as well!
I participated in a weight loss study never got paid either. Please advise on how I join this lawsuit. thanks
I never got paid and I started 10-24-2014 and done on 12-6-2014
I am owed over $800 for the study that I completed in Feb. 2015 and would like to join the class action suit. Has anyone contacted Golomb and Honick Law Firm?
I would like to get into the law suit myself. they owe me $230.00 the were supposed to make payments but I only got four of the five.
I got sick from the second month of product. I missed three days of work and threw up everywhere. They said I would still get paid I just needed to send my remaining product back in. I couldn’t give the envelope they provided and asked if I could get where to send it to and send it myself. They said no. I tried to get an envelope for two months then was told to send pictures of the bottles. I sent them. Still no response six months after the study. I’m owed $400.