As a leading medical professional, you probably serve many roles. You could be a physician, a researcher, an executive and a thought leader — and those would only be your professional duties.
You try to behave ethically, but no one could expect you to be a healthcare lawyer in addition to all of the requirements of your position. However, if somebody accuses you of taking bribes from a pharmaceutical company, that skill set could be exactly what you need to get the best possible resolution for your dispute
What does your company say?
Many organizations have their own guidelines. For example, Cardinal Health requires anyone who would give you a gift to complete exhaustive reporting requirements and comply with all local laws. Cardinal also does not allow cash or cash-equivalent gifts.
If you look at the organizational rules, they typically mirror the laws in the jurisdictions in which they operate. You might also notice that many sections of these corporate professional codes are relatively vague.
What can you do if someone accuses you?
Investigations for white-collar crimes often take significant time and resources. However, investigators do sometimes try to make their own jobs easier by getting people to incriminate themselves.
Any conversation you have with a law-enforcement officer or a representative of the government could be part of an overall strategy to weaken your defense. Despite how they present themselves, these people are often skilled negotiators and keen students of human behavior. They also have extensive practice and training.
Why are you under investigation?
There are a variety of reasons you might be under investigation for medical bribery. For example, you might have any qualifications that would earn you much more money than your colleagues for speaking engagements. There could be some misunderstanding about the correct classification of a gift you received. However, it would probably require some finesse and experience to uncover the root cause of the investigation while protecting your civil rights — and, consequently, the strength of any criminal defense you might have to mount.