Arthrex to pay $16 million to settle kickback allegations

Medical device company Arthrex agreed to pay $16 million to settle allegations that it paid a doctor to boost sales, the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday.

The privately held company allegedly paid Colorado-based orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter Millett millions of dollars under the guise of royalty payments. While Arthrex and Millett have had a royalty agreement since 2010 for his help in developing SutureBridge and SpeedBridge kits, federal authorities contend that the company paid him royalties that were higher than the typical rate to get him to use and recommend its products. A whistleblower alleged that this caused other providers to submit false claims, violating the False Claims Act and anti-kickback statutes.

“Paying bribes to physicians to distort their medical decision-making corrupts the healthcare system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Mendell said in a news release.

Arthrex, which entered into a five-year corporate integrity agreement with HHS’ Office of Inspector General, did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Millett denied any wrongdoing, his lawyer Marc Kasowitz of Kasowitz, Benson Torres LLP said.

By Alex Kacik | Modern Healthcare

Image Credit: MH Illustration / Getty Images

READ MORE

About Peter Coffaro 474 Articles
A growth-driven and strategic executive, Peter Coffaro commands more than 25 years of progressive management success within the medical device industry. Recognized by the World Journal of Orthopedics, Exponential Healthtech, and MedReps.com as one of the top medical sales influencers in the industry; he has 10 years of combined sales management experience and has held positions as a Director, General Manager, Distributor, and Vice President. Peter has worked for some of the top orthopedic companies in the world - Zimmer, DePuy, and Stryker. He is also the founder of OrthoFeed: a popular blog that covers digital orthopedic news and emerging medical technologies. Peter is a three-time Hall of Fame award winner at Johnson and Johnson and has an extensive background in organizational development, business development, sales management, digital marketing, and professional education. Peter holds a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Illinois University.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.