Fraud Whistleblowers Say Gilead Concealed Its Own Lost Texts

A discovery dispute appears to be escalating between Gilead Sciences Inc. and two False Claims Act whistleblowers who accuse the company of engaging in a kickback scheme to induce physicians to increase hepatitis drug prescriptions, according to filings in a Pennsylvania federal court.

Chris Purcell and Kimberly Groome seek spoliation sanctions for Gilead’s alleged failure to preserve text messages from the phones of two employees, conduct which shows “clear bad faith,” according to their Wednesday motion filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

This motion follows an April 22 court order that said Purcell, whose ...