Have You Been Injured by an Infuse Product? Humana Files Lawsuit against Medtronic over Safety and Marketing Concerns
According to Reuters, insurer Humana Inc has filed a lawsuit against Medtronic accusing it of falsely representing its Infuse bone growth-stimulation product as safe and effective in spinal fusion surgeries.
The lawsuit, which was filed earlier this month in a Tennessee federal courthouse, alleges that Medtronic paid for academic literature that fraudulently portrayed the product as safe and effective for uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The device at question in the lawsuit, Infuse, contains a bioengineered protein product that is intended to be used as an alternative to conventional spinal fusion that normally requires harvesting a small amount of bone from the patient’s hip.
Earlier this month, Medtronic agreed to pay $22 million to settle current claims over Infuse, and announced that it was setting aside $140 million for expected lawsuits relating to the product.
In its lawsuit, Humana claims that it paid for the use of Infuse “when less expensive and more medically sound alternative procedures were available.” It accuses Medtronic of a “sophisticated and deeply deceptive marketing strategy” that was hatched to sell the product.
This includes allegations that Medtronic paid and encouraged spinal surgeons to use the products, while overstating its benefits and downplaying risks.
Nationally, Infuse has been implanted in more than 1 million people. The product has been linked to complications including sterility, chronic pain, uncontrolled bone growth, nerve injuries and cancer.
How Do I File a Defective Medical Product Lawsuit?
Our attorneys file personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, which hold manufacturers like Medtronic liable. Contact us today if an Infuse product has injured you.
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Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/02/medtronic-humana-lawsuit-idUSL1N0OJ1OE20140602