Stryker Corp. (NYSE:SYK) won another victory in its ongoing legal travails over the now-recalled Trident hip implant, after a federal appeals upheld the dismissal of a product liability lawsuit.
Legal News
Covidien and Bard split latest round of patent fight
Appeals court dismisses stem cell research suit
A federal appeals court upheld a lower court’ dismissal of a lawsuit filed on behalf of all frozen human embryos in the U.S. that sought to halt federal funding of research using stem cells derived from the embryos.
AHA complains to congress that DOJ abuses False Claims Act
The American Hospital Association says that overbearing regulation and an overly aggressive Dept. of Justice is hurting the hospital industry.
In a Jan. 14 letter written to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the new chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, AHA president Rich Umbdenstock wrote that, “existing and proposed regulations that have negatively impacted the hospital field. Regulatory relief is of great importance to our members and one of our major legislative priorities this year.”
In particular, Umbdenstock wrote that anti-kickback provisions had “been stretched to cover any financial relationship between hospitals and doctors.”
St. Jude settles DOJ probe on kickbacks for $16 million
St. Jude Medical Inc. (NYSE:STJ) said Thursday it paid $16 million to end a government investigation determining whether the company paid doctors who put its heart device in their patients.
Stryker Biotech, execs blast back at feds
Calling it a threat that "has the potential to swallow completely the attorney-client privilege," lawyers for former Stryker Biotech chief Mark Philip fired back at federal prosecutors in a criminal case alleging the illegal promotion of bone putties.
Spire sues Creganna-Tactx Medical unit over contract breach
Spire Corp.’s (NSDQ:SPIR) medical device unit sued Creganna-Tactx Medical subsidiary Catheter and Disposable Technology Inc. over an alleged breach of contract related to the manufacture of hemodialysis catheters.
The unit, Spire Biomedical Inc., yesterday filed a suit in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts alleging that CDT failed to assemble the catheters in accordance with its designs.
Guidant gets probation in defib plea deal
A Minnesota federal judge added three years of probation to a $296 million plea deal between Guidant Corp. and the U.S. Justice Dept. over faulty implantable defibrillators.
Last spring, Judge Donovan Frank spiked a $296 million agreement involving a guilty plea by the now-Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE:BSX) subsidiary, saying the deal didn’t go far enough to address Guidant’s penchant for concealing problems with the devices.
TriMed settles patent suit with Stryker
TriMed Inc.’s four-year-old patent suit against Stryker Corp. (NYSE:SYK) came to a conclusion with the companies entering into a licensing agreement.
The Valencia, Calif.-based orthopedic device maker sued Stryker in March 2006 for infringing on IP covering its radial pin plate and ullnar pin plate wrist fracture repair devices, according to court documents. The companies settled the case out of court in October 2010; it was formally dismissed by the U.S. District Court for Central California in December.
Boston Scientific wins back $104 million from Medinol
Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE:BSX) added $104 million to its 2010 top line in the last week of the year.
The Natick, Mass.-based medical device giant reached a new agreement with Medinol Ltd. on a dispute over 2001 litigation regarding intellectual property theft and contractual obligations involving the companies’ coronary stents.
Judge tosses class action suit against Medtronic
A federal judge ruled that an attempt by former Medtronic Inc. (NYSE:MDT) employees to sue the company on grounds related to the Employment Retirement Income Security Act could not proceed.
U.S. District Court for Minnesota Judge Patrick Schiltz followed a decision by the U.S. Appeals Court for the 8th Circuit in denying the plaintiffs ERISA bid, according to court documents.