Drip, Drip, Drip - the Steady Accumulation of Little Cases Pointing to Big Problems

Sometimes an apparently insignificant noise can signal a big problem, like the sound of dripping water in a room with no visible plumbing.Today, I noticed a few short stories in the media about one relatively small legal settlement involving a medical device company.  It initially seemed to be too insignificant a settlement to merit a comment.  A closer look, however, suggested links to to other larger issues.  This story reminded me about other apparently small cases that are mostly ignored, but remind us of bigger problems.Biomet Settles Kickback Allegations for $6 Million - the Index CaseHere are the main points from the Fort Wayne, Indiana Journal-Gazette,Biomet Inc. has agreed to pay more than $6 million to resolve allegations that it paid kickbacks to encourage doctors to use its bone growth stimulators, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday.The Warsaw-based orthopedic devices company signed the agreement along with its subsidiary, EBI LLC, which is doing business as Biomet Spine and Bone Healing Technologies. EBI, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, sells bone growth stimulators, which are used to repair slow-healing fractures without surgery. Federal official allege that from 2001 to 2008, EBI bribed staffers in physicians' offices to persuade them to use the products. The story also included the usual tough quotes from law enforcement, including this from US Attorney for the Massachusetts district Carmen Ortiz,This settlement demonstrat...
Source: Health Care Renewal - Category: Health Management Tags: Arthrocare Baxano Surgical Biomet crime deception Endogastric Solutions fraud Globus Medical impunity Johnson and Johnson kickbacks legal settlements marketing medical devices Nipro Zimmer Source Type: blogs