WSJ Article II

[deleted4401]

So, that article about prostate CA was part of a series. Here is another one in the series, focusing on spine surgeons:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703395204576024023361023138.html#mod=most_viewed_day

I have to say, I feel a lot better about us. A lot of rad oncs do a lot of things that are controversial, but what the spine guys/gals do is on a completely different level. There is a physician mentioned that got $27 million in 6 years from Medtronics in royalties, and got $13 million in the first 3 quarters of this year. Many of the surgeons were getting >$1 million per year from the manufacturers.

I think the point is that we all have to be better. We really do.

-S

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[metacurious]

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[metacurious]

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[medgator]

While I admit I didn't read the article, I'd just like to make the following point: when a person creates an innovative product and profits accordingly, is that morally/ethically wrong? Thousands of CEOs pull in outrageous salaries doing what? If a neurosurgeon invents next-gen spinal instrumentation and profits from royalties, isn't that just capitalism awarding entrepreneurship? I don't see why there is so much uproar within the physician community about regulating our own salaries (probably 2/2 envy, as FP and IMed guys have few such opportunities) when the real problem either lies 1) with the system (capitalism) or 2) with your expectations. Either way, don't hate the player, hate the game.

If you read the article, it's not clear whether these surgeons made signficant advances in the hardware (at least from what I can tell). It seems that they were making serious bank by just going around the country and talking about all of the procedures they do and all of the hardware they implant.

Essentially, these companies were saying that they weren't paying them royalties/kickbacks etc. for hardware they were putting into their own patients (to avoid a conflict of interest). What was happening instead, however, was that they were paying them $$$$ to go around and encourage their buddies to do the same thing. A couple of whistleblower lawsuits from medtronic's own employees are mentioned in the article