Doing the Dirty Down Under...

From the Strib:

Medtronic payments to doctor-consultants controversy erupts Down Under

Citing confidential documents, the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia reported last week that the Fridley-based medical technology giant devised a "secret marketing strategy" in 2007 to woo doctors' loyalty by paying fellowship grants.

The stateside controversy concerning Medtronic's payments to its doctor-consultants has erupted Down Under.

Citing confidential documents, the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia reported last week that the Fridley-based medical technology giant devised a "secret marketing strategy" in 2007 to woo doctors' loyalty by paying fellowship grants.

The documents, subsequently obtained by the Star Tribune, indicate that the $1.5 million spent on 18 fellowship grants would likely reap a 200 percent return on investment in the first year.

The objective was to "build a community of practitioners that embrace Medtronic's mission," as well as "secure ... new business revenue streams."

A Medtronic spokeswoman said Thursday that the company's Australasia management became aware of the program in mid-2007 and determined that it was "inappropriate" -- not consistent with its business conduct standards -- and terminated it immediately.

Meanwhile, a brochure from a Medtronic-sponsored scientific meeting concerning treating the aging spine that was held Aug. 28-30 in Hunter Valley, a posh resort in the Australian wine country, featured a speaker of some renown in med-tech circles here: Dr. Timothy Kuklo. Kuklo, a former military doctor, was also a Medtronic consultant until this summer, when the Army accused him of falsifying a study using a Medtronic spine product. As it turns out, Kuklo didn't speak at the meeting.

Also on the agenda: Dr. David Polly, the head of spine surgery at the University of Minnesota's Medical School, whose relationship with Medtronic has been scrutinized by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee who's investigating relationships between medical device firms and doctors.

Polly said in an e-mail last week that he is still an active consultant working with the company.

And the foot-dragging on conflict-of-interest policy revision at the U continues. The University of Iowa started last January and already have a policy in place.

Recall the words of President Bruininks:

"I think we need to put ourselves in the position of acting according to the highest ethical principles. I believe our people do that now and I believe our people will be doing that in the future as well." President Bruininks (Daily: 6-18-08)