MASSDEVICE ON CALL — This year promises to be a big one for medical device legal battles, as bellwether trials for several high-profile device disputes are slated for later in 2013.
Legal News
NuVasive takes on another former sales rep
Invacare gains on FDA settlement, supplies biz sale
ConvaTek claims win in UK patent battle with Smith & Nephew
ConvaTec is claiming victory in a U.K. patent battle with Smith & Nephew (FTSE:SN, NYSE:SNN) over silver wound dressings.
Feds level off-label charges against Stryker, other pain pump makers
Over-stenting doc submits to 10-year prison sentence
A Louisiana interventional cardiologist accused of performing heart procedures on patient unnecessarily began his 10-year prison sentence this month after years of attempting to appeal his verdict.
Dr. Mehmood Patel, 64, was convicted in 2009 of 51 counts of fraudulently billing Medicare and other insurance groups for medical procedures that were deemed unnecessary. Patel was given a 10-year prison sentence, which was to start in July 2009.
I-Flow can’t shake pain pump injury lawsuit
Pain pump maker I-Flow lost a bid for summary judgment in a patient injury lawsuit associated with its On-Q Painbuster continuous infusion drug pump.
Trio sues Medtronic over allegedly faulty defibrillators
Orthofix finally settles civil, criminal beefs for $43M
Hospital repays $2M to Medicare for unnecessary stenting | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — A Pennsylvania hospital group associated with more than 140 cases of unnecessary stenting and angioplasties repaid almost $2 million in Medicare reimbursements to the federal government.
The Excela Health network reached an agreement with federal regulators to return the funds, which were collected for heart surgeries performed between 2009 and 2011, according to settlement documents made public this month.
Judge nixes Orthofix, DoJ deal for 2nd time
A federal judge spiked a settlement deal between Orthofix (NSDQ:OFIX) and the U.S. Justice Dept. for the 2nd, time, saying the agreement isn’t in the public’s best interest.
Judge William Young of the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts 1st nixed the deal back in September because it didn’t then give him enough leeway to impose further penalties.