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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 was part of the original FB group “https://www.facebook.com/groups/1606834922872578/”
and think this should be a huge settlement. At the time, when months passed and they had not paid me, I managed to wrangle a payment from them, but the crazy thing is that the program actually worked for me when no other supplement did. I wanted the product and now want to be part of the settlement, and support the Class Action against them… These shyster, so-called doctors should be stripped of any license and prosecuted to the fullest extent of every international law!
My name is Linda Jude. Contact me via email or FB Jude Lin
Staywell Research owes me $1000 for weight loss study I completed in 2014!!! I want whats due to me!!!!
Staywell Research oews me $1000 for weight loss study I completed in 2014!!!
Staywell RESEARCH NEVER PAID ME MY $1000 for weight loss i completed studying in 2014. Need my money!!! My time & gas wasted!!!
Staywell Research owes me money as well for a weight loss study & a blood pressure study, I was never paid my $1000, I was promised. so sorry I wasted ny time & gas money.
Hello, I too was taken advantage off also.Did the Fat Elimination Study for $2,400 and got the run around.. Even contacted Medicus Research through via email early in 2015 ,they responded but still was not resolve like everyone else..Went to the office last summer and they were no longer there..What bummed!!!
David Hagen 818-990-4416 is the Lawyer handling the case ive called him several times for an update with no luck at any kind of response
hello this health service owe me money for hair study i did still haven’t get paid for so i would like to be of the suit please send me information to how i could join…
I received a letter from an Attorney Hagen also I did as the letter said and sent in the necessary paper work(Emails from Stawell, Appts Scheduled, completion of study letter and compensation, ect) I have called him several times inquiring about The Staywell Research law suit. Since taking my paper work I have heard NOTING from him every time I call they tell me to leave a msg. I have explained my concerns of not knowing whats going on to the person who answers the phone on several occasions only to be told there is nothing she can do but send me to voicemail. Strange thing I did receive one letter after sending in my evidence that had a little sticker typed with the amount Staywell owed me on the outside of the envelope in the amount of $950.00. I got excited but there was no check enclosed like I said I have tried contacting Attorney Hagen several times but just like Staywell he ISNT RESPONDING!!!!! Have I been ROBBED TWICE?????
Hello, Is the group still up. I would like to be part of this class action too. I did a health and wellness during flu season study with staywell earlier this year and was never paid. Thanks.