Yale University and Dr. John Krystal, Failure to Share Patent Royalties, Connecticut 2023
A $1.5 million settlement has been reached between Yale University and Dr. John Krystal, a professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and psychology, over alleged failure to share patent royalties with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).
The alleged misconduct took place between March 2006 and February 2023, during which time Dr. Krystal worked part-time at Yale and the VA as a salaried clinical psychiatrist with research responsibilities.
The settlement resolves alleged False Claims Act and common law violations, where Dr. Krystal and Yale allegedly failed to disclose certain patents and share royalty payments with the VA.
According to the settlement, Dr. Krystal and his co-inventors applied for several patents related to the use of intranasal ketamine for treatment of depression and suicidal ideation. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued three patents, which Dr. Krystal assigned to Yale.
Yale and Dr. Krystal began receiving royalty payments from the patents in February 2015, but allegedly failed to share these payments with the VA. The VA was not informed of the patents until 2017.
The U.S. alleged that Dr. Krystal and Yale removed the acknowledgement of VA support from the patents in 2017 and 2019. Dr. Krystal eventually submitted the required disclosure to the VA in December 2017, but the VA prevailed in its determination that it was entitled to an ownership interest in the patents.
Dr. John Krystal, Yale University, Failure to Share Patent Royalties, Connecticut 2023. Dr. Krystal and Yale agreed to pay $1,507,743.67 to resolve allegations of failure to share patent royalties with the VA.
Defendant/Respondent: Yale University and Dr. John Krystal
Criminal Charges: Failure to disclose certain patents and share royalty payments with the Department of Veteran Affairs
City and State: Washington, Connecticut
Date: February 2023
Sentence/Outcome: Paid $1,507,743.67 to resolve allegations
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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