FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A former Novo Nordisk employee claims the company not only discriminated against her because of her race, but also retaliated against her for raising internal complaints about “unethical and potentially unlawful practices” in its clinical trials.
Plaintiff Tari K. Johnson filed her lawsuit against Novo Nordisk Inc. in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division.
Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, manufactures and markets diabetes and obesity medications and devices. It is the manufacturer of Ozempic and other semaglutide products like Wegovy.
Johnson, who is Black and a Broward County resident, claims her former employer violated the Civil Rights Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Florida Civil Rights Act, and the Florida Private Whistleblower Act.
From December 2017 until December 2024, Johnson worked as a senior clinical research associate, or CRA.
She claims in her 39-page filing that during her employment she “consistently” performed her job duties at or above satisfactory levels, and was considered a “high-performing” employee.
“Plaintiff was entrusted with significant responsibilities, including training and onboarding new CRAs, and received recognition for her commitment to quality and business ethics,” her complaint states. “Plaintiff further served in advanced and specialized roles, including acting as a study liaison and systems resource, and was selected to take on additional responsibilities beyond her core duties, reflecting Defendant’s trust in her performance and expertise.”
In her role as a CRA, Johnson was responsible for overseeing clinical trial sites to ensure regulatory compliance, including verifying that informed consent was properly obtained, confirming that patient medical records were reviewed prior to enrollment, monitoring data accuracy, and ensuring patient safety, particularly in high-risk Alzheimer’s studies involving elderly and cognitively impaired populations.
She was the only Black CRA in her division, her lawsuit notes.
From December 2022 through 2023, Johnson alleges she repeatedly raised internal complaints regarding Novo Nordisk’s clinical trials.
“Specifically, Plaintiff raised concerns that Alzheimer’s patients, many of whom were elderly and cognitively impaired, were being asked to review and execute lengthy consent forms, sometimes exceeding thirty pages, within approximately five to fifteen minutes, raising serious concerns regarding their capacity to provide informed consent,” the complaint states.
During the same period, she alleges she also reported that required medical record reviews were not being properly conducted prior to patient enrollment, that enrollment practices were irregular and unusually rapid, and that site staff were not adhering to required regulatory protocols.
“Plaintiff documented these concerns in formal visit reports, raised them during recurring team meetings, escalated them to her supervisors and study leadership, and directly communicated concerns to site personnel, including the principal investigator, whom Plaintiff observed to be frequently absent and unable to adequately respond to study-related inquiries,” the lawsuit states.
Her supervisor at the time, Caroline Wagner, supported Johnson’s concerns.
However, after Johnson took approved leave due to a medical condition in July 2023, she was reassigned to a different supervisor, Christine Glaze.
Johnson contends that following the reassignment she experienced a “significant change” in treatment.
“Unlike Supervisor Wagner, Supervisor Glaze did not meaningfully address Plaintiff’s concerns regarding compliance issues and instead minimized Plaintiff’s reports,” her filing states.
A clinical research lead, Krista Thomaguard, also played a “central role” in the company’s discriminatory and retaliatory conduct, Johnson alleges.
Johnson contends Thomaguard subjected her to “heightened scrutiny and criticism.”
“Thomaguard repeatedly questioned Plaintiff’s work, including issues that Plaintiff herself had previously escalated, such as whether Plaintiff had properly reviewed consent forms or addressed site data concerns,” the complaint states.
“Thomaguard also communicated with Plaintiff at unreasonable hours, including early morning communications, and copied leadership on emails questioning Plaintiff’s performance.”
Both Glaze and Thomaguard are white, Johnson’s complaint notes.
She alleges that despite ongoing and escalating concerns about “serious compliance failures,” Novo Nordisk failed to take any corrective action. Instead, she contends the company “intensified” its scrutiny of her.
In October 2024, after taking approved medical leave again, Johnson claims she was not restored to her prior workload or site assignments.
“Plaintiff promptly complained and questioned whether she was being set up for termination but was reassured that she would be reassigned to a different study,” her filing states.
However, in December 2024 – less than eight weeks after her return from medical leave – her employment was terminated.
“Plaintiff was terminated without any prior progressive discipline, and without any finding that patient safety or data integrity had been compromised,” her lawsuit states.
Now, as a result of her termination, she claims has been unable to find comparable employment and has suffered “significant financial losses.”
Johnson seeks to be reinstated, awarded compensation for lost wages and benefits, and awarded attorney’s fees.
The Law Offices of T. Walls Blye PLLC in Pembroke Pines, Florida, is representing Johnson in the lawsuit.
