The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel‘s John Fauber reports that the University of Wisconsin’s proposed conflict-of-interest rules have been heavily watered down with the addition of an exception for doctors, including orthopedic surgeons, who implant devices. This is also a group of doctors who tend to bring in significant amounts of money for the university and thus tend to be rather influential.
Fauber:
After getting pressure from orthopedic surgeons, medical school and UW Medical Foundation officials amended the policy to allow doctors to make presentations for medical-device companies, provided they are paid no more than $500 an hour plus food, transportation and lodging.
In recent years, some of the most egregious ethical violations in the medical field, including allegations of kickbacks and extravagant payments, have involved orthopedic surgeons and companies that make implantable devices.
