Ask a Compliance Officer Series: Special Guest Commentators – Gary Giampetruzzi and Jane Yoon Discuss Conducting Investigations During COVID-19

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As we continue the Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law's Ask a Compliance Officer Series, I interviewed Gary Giampetruzzi and Jane Yoon, partners at Paul Hastings. Our discussion focused on how investigations have been impacted during COVID-19. Below is a summary of the topics we discussed and their very thoughtful commentary via video.

Internal and government investigations are often a critical component of a compliance officer's role. Such investigations present challenges under any circumstances, but the pandemic has added a significant layer of complexity. Gary Giampetruzzi and Jane Yoon offer their perspective on how the ability to conduct investigations has been impacted by COVID-19, and how this has evolved over the course of the pandemic. They discuss navigating both restrictions and re-openings, which have varied widely across locations. Other interview questions explore how to approach data collection for investigations, how compliance resources have been reallocated and prioritized in the current environment, and the expectations of government enforcers during recent investigations. They also comment on impacts to compliance training and the current opportunity for companies to focus on it.

Gary Giampetruzzi is a partner in the Litigation Department of Paul Hastings and is the Global Chair of the Life Sciences Department and a Vice-Chair of the Investigations and White Collar Department. Prior to joining the firm, he most recently served as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, and Head of Government Investigations at Pfizer Inc. Mr. Giampetruzzi is also a long-time faculty member of the Law School's U.S. Healthcare Compliance Certificate Program.

Jane H. Yoon is a partner in the Litigation Department of Paul Hastings and represents corporate entities and their executives in connection with government and internal investigations. Prior to joining the firm, she was most recently an Assistant United States Attorney in the Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. Ms. Yoon is also a faculty member of the Law School's U.S. Healthcare Compliance Certificate Program.

Jacob T. Elberg is an Associate Professor of Law. He teaches in the areas of Health Care Fraud & Abuse and Data Analytics. Prior to joining Seton Hall, he served for more than a decade with the Department of Justice, including as Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Health Care & Government Fraud Unit. His scholarship focuses on corporate crime and compliance and the role of various actors in the enforcement of health care fraud laws and regulations. He is also a faculty advisor to the Law School’s Healthcare Compliance Certificate Programs held in the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Professor Elberg's biography and publications are available online.