Surgeons in Medtronic trials ignored complications, got $62 million from company

[somone]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/28/us-medtronic-idUSTRE75R7XC20110628

Surgeons in Medtronic trials omitted results: report

(Reuters) - Surgeons conducting clinical trials to test a Medtronic Inc bone-growth protein used in spine surgery, some of whom got at least $62 million from the company, failed to report serious complications in their research papers, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Fifteen of the surgeons got at least $62 million from the company over the past decade, the paper said, citing an analysis of Medtronic documents and disclosures on the company's website.

A new study in the Spine Journal said serious complications including cancer, sterility, infections, bone dissolution and worsened back and leg pain, occurred in 10 to 50 percent of patients who were administered Infuse or a sister product in 13 clinical trials funded by Medtronic and conducted by the surgeons between 2000 and 2010, the Wall Street Journal said.

These complications weren't reported in research papers the surgeons wrote on those trials, even though the papers were peer-reviewed, the study said...

[Angry Dragon]

1. Should lose their license and face jail time

[KT2000]

3. Absolutely -

they should be charged with a long list of crimes.

[PoliticAverse]

2. For $62 million I could lose 100% of my results... n/t

[somone]

4. $19 million to Thomas Zdeblick MD, director of U of Wisconsin Spine Center

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/745471

"The Medtronic-sponsored studies failed to report even 1 single adverse event of any type," Eugene Carragee, MD, editor-in-chief of The Spine Journal and the lead author of the new study, tells Medscape Medical News. "And the FDA data are completely different. The FDA data show there was increased radiculitis, an increased number of leg pain events, increased infection rates, and an increased chance of sterility. It's astounding. But it was completely under the radar initially."