Major Orthopedic Manufacturers Avoided Prosecution
The following alert was recently sent out by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons:
"On Sept. 27, 2007, Christopher J. Christie, US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, announced the results of his two-year investigation into the legality of certain relationships between five hip and knee surgical implant manufacturers and orthopaedic surgeons. The companies - Zimmer, Depuy Orthopaedics, Biomet, Smith and Nephew, and Stryker - have avoided criminal prosecutions about payments made to surgeons to use their products by agreeing to new corporate compliance procedures and federal monitoring for 18 months. Compliance with federal law by all of these companies going forward is the key element of these agreements."
There were serious criminal complaints against the four leading hip and knee implant manufacturers namely Biomet, DePuy, Smith & Nephew and Zimmer by the US Attorney General of New Jersey. These implant manufacturers were accused of using lucrative consulting arrangements with orthopedic surgeons to induce them into using their particular line of implants. According to WSBT 22, South Bend, IN, the three Warsaw, IN manufacturers (Biomet, DePuy and Zimmer) paid a whopping $311 in fines. In a Deferred Prosecution Agreements, these complaints will be dismissed in 18 months, if the implant manufacturers comply with the agreed-upon reform requirements which include:
· Biomet Payment List
· DePuy Payment List (.pdf)
· Zimmer Payment List (.pdf)
Now you know how much are the consultant surgeons are paid.
"On Sept. 27, 2007, Christopher J. Christie, US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, announced the results of his two-year investigation into the legality of certain relationships between five hip and knee surgical implant manufacturers and orthopaedic surgeons. The companies - Zimmer, Depuy Orthopaedics, Biomet, Smith and Nephew, and Stryker - have avoided criminal prosecutions about payments made to surgeons to use their products by agreeing to new corporate compliance procedures and federal monitoring for 18 months. Compliance with federal law by all of these companies going forward is the key element of these agreements."
There were serious criminal complaints against the four leading hip and knee implant manufacturers namely Biomet, DePuy, Smith & Nephew and Zimmer by the US Attorney General of New Jersey. These implant manufacturers were accused of using lucrative consulting arrangements with orthopedic surgeons to induce them into using their particular line of implants. According to WSBT 22, South Bend, IN, the three Warsaw, IN manufacturers (Biomet, DePuy and Zimmer) paid a whopping $311 in fines. In a Deferred Prosecution Agreements, these complaints will be dismissed in 18 months, if the implant manufacturers comply with the agreed-upon reform requirements which include:
- Determination of a genuine need for consultants.
- Physicians to disclose their financial engagement to patients and hospitals.
- Provide a list of names and amount paid of all consultants on their website in a prominent fashion.
· Biomet Payment List
· DePuy Payment List (.pdf)
· Zimmer Payment List (.pdf)
Now you know how much are the consultant surgeons are paid.
