Bribery: Doctors gifted $100,000 a year to use hip replacement products

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WDDTY

Orthopedic surgeons in the US have been receiving bribes of $100,000

and more every year to use special hip and knee replacement products

on their patients.

 

Five manufacturers at the centre of the bribery ring have been fined

$311m (£150m) by the US Department of Justice.

The companies admit paying " many " orthopaedic surgeons " consulting

fees " that ranged from $10,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars

every year.

 

Of the five companies, four have been handed the fines; the fifth,

Stryker Orthopedics, co-operated with the US's attorney office and

was not punished.

 

The four were Zimmer, which was fined $170m, DePuy Orthopedics, fined

$85m, Smith & Nephew, fined $29m, and Biomet, fined $27m.

 

Investigators discovered the pay-outs were common practice between

2002 and 2006. As well as receiving " consulting fees " , the surgeons

were also treated to lavish trips and expensive gifts.

 

(Source: British Medical Journal, 2007; 335: 1065).

 

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Published: 29/11/2007 09:59:00 GMT