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The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »

Pfizer, Inc.

McClain v. Pfizer (Whistleblower Retaliation)

Date: 02/16/2007 (Date of Filing)

Misconduct Type: Labor

Enforcement Agency: Non-Governmental

Contracting Party: None

Court Type: Civil

Amount: $1,370,000

Disposition: Judgment Against Defendant

Synopsis: In April 2010, a federal jury in Connecticut awarded $1.4 milion in compensatory damages to former Pfizer scientist Becky McClain, who claimed she was fired when she tried to raise safety concerns about genetic engineering work being done at the company's Groton laboratory. McClain, a molecular biologist, claimed she had been wrongly terminated for complaining about faulty safety equipment that allowed a dangerous lentivirus to infect her and some of her colleagues.