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Boston Scientific Suspends ICD & CRT Sales
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/reuters/MTFH31577_2010-03-15_19-26-42_N15186051.htm
BS has temporarily suspended ICD sales. It's not a recall. BS says there are no safety issues involved.
Hopefully EPs who have recently implanted BS devices will be extra wary of monitoring them.
13 Comments
Not likely a problem
by ElectricFrank - 2010-03-16 02:03:32
From the article it sounds more like a paperwork snafu than a quality problem.
frank
Don't believe the B.S. from B.S
by ted - 2010-03-16 04:03:51
I would not trust anything that B.S (Boston Scientific)says. These folks (formerly Guidant) are proven liars who have deceived us, our doctors, and the FDA. Human life does not matter to them. Only company profits are important. Don't be so naive as to excuse their heartlessness as a "paperwork snafu". That's just more b.s. from B.S. We must tell our doctors to Boycott Guidant/Boston Scientific.
Ya'll scared me...
by brooke1803 - 2010-03-16 07:03:21
For a minute there I was honestly scared... by all this recall talk! Surely the docs wouldnt put a piece of equipment in a person thats been recalled? My Cardio gives a crap about me..he ddint want to do the procedure...7 months ago he let me walk outta his office explaining that it wasnt the best thing for me...that he would watch over me and then WHAM outta no where my heart goes kurplunk... even when he explained thet this was an emergency for me, he still wanted me to think about this, we could have done something else maybe..im not sure... BUT he took all this effort to inform me of the risk, I dont know..he seemed to be really great!!!!
Sorry Zombie
by ted - 2010-03-16 08:03:18
Im sorry that I don't need your advice about how to deal with Guidant. I was involved in the litigation against Guidant from the near beginning and wouldn't trust those people to give me an honest answer if I asked them for directions to the restroom. Please don't lull victims into believing that Guidant is their friend or that calling Guidant will solve their problems.
I trust my doctors but Guidant wasn't truthful
by ted - 2010-03-16 09:03:27
Flamingo: I agree with you about trusting our doctors. My doctors are terrific and I do whatever they say. But...how can my doctors make an intelligent decision as to which brand to implant when the company (Guidant) deliberetly hid information about defects and deaths from the FDA and our doctors. That's what happened to me and many others. Guidant kept on seling defective merchandise and didn't let the FDA or our doctors know the facts. I love my doctors, but they were duped when Guidant kept silent about the deaths from faulty units. So, are those of us who remember Guidant's crimes "prophets of doom"? Should we kill the messengers because we "frighten" people when we tell them not to buy a Guidant? Does this group exist only to exchange hugs and kisses? Why are some of you folks so wrapped up in being apollogists for Guidant, that you are afraid of the truth about that company?
Brooke, Cabbage: Let's not kill the messenger
by ted - 2010-03-17 01:03:00
I suggest to you that becomming enlightened does not involve looking up the "member profile". Look up the history of Guidant's lies and deceit for yourselves. Look up how the New York Times did a series of articles exposing how Guidant hid and failed to disclose informantion about deaths deaths from defective ICD's to our doctors and the FDA. When Guidant got wind of the story about to break, it started to come clean. But it was too late. People had died and were dying and Guidant kept on selling the defective ICD's. During the lawsuits against Guidant and the government investigation which folowed, internal company documents revealed the cover-up and the profit motive for the cover-up. The FDA just recently brought charges against Boston Scientific/Guidant who paid a hefty fine. Go to Google and start researching the history of Guidant's fraud and deceit. If you want to listen to Cabbage and others who can't deal with the truth, go look me up. I'm just the messenger. If you are not afraid to face the facts, start looking up Guidant. Boston Scientific knew that Guidant's reputation was destroyed, so after paying Billions for Guidant, it changed the name to try to fool people once again. This multi-billion dollar giant apparently still can't seem to be able to comply with regulations designed to protect the public. Why won't Cabbage get on the side of the victims and quit defending the culprits?
Ted
by brooke1803 - 2010-03-17 10:03:43
Ok lemme get this straight Boston Scientific use to be Guidant? And they changed thier name because of some action suit against them because of faulty parts, and those parts causing death? UHmm so a name change doesnt mean a product change now days? I know that for instance if a resturant chages "owners" they keep the same staff most times but change the menu, because normally thats why a resturant failed...the food...or food quality...so I would hope they would change cooks as well...or teach these cook to make better food. RIGHT?? What if, Boston Scientific is not only making new products, but if they kept the old employees, they are teaching them how to make the new products right?? I certainly hope this is the case because I just got a Boston Scientific dual whatchamacallit in my chest and I'm having a hard enough time knowing someone else controls the damn thing, rather than me..and now I have to come to a site and see all this.."Boston Scientific/Guidant" will kill you talk. Its pretty scarey. But I read at my own caution...so enlighten me, please. Thanks
Brooke
Ted
by ElectricFrank - 2010-03-19 02:03:37
Hey Ted, your aren't exactly an unbiased source either when you have been involved in litigation with Guidant. I'm not saying you are wrong or that you don't have good reason to be angry with them. You just seem to be making assumptions that Boston Scientific did something shady in acquiring Guidant that aren't backed up by any evidence. Companies often do this sort of thing to pickup a nice bunch of patents rather than to produce the defective products.
I just did a Google search on the subject and found mainly a bunch of come on's by lawyers trying to cash in. A very common thing these days. The other discussions have to do with the stocks of these companies.
My concern with all the conspiracy theory and anger is that it makes it more difficult to find out the real story.
So my suggestion to the folk on the site. If you are having a pacemaker implanted or are replacing an existing one, check out what your doctor plans on using. If you are uncomfortable with Boston Scientific then make it clear you want one of the others. Jut keep in mind that the day after you get one, there will probably be a recall on the make you chose.
keep pacing,
frank
Frank: I always respect your views
by ted - 2010-03-19 06:03:10
I can hardly ever find anything to disagree with in any of Frank's posts. And, there could always be recalls. But Medtronic and other companies handled their recalls in an honest and forthright manner. Guidant withheld the truth and also lied. Please see the U.S. Justice Department press release of February 25, 2001 announcing the criminal charges filed against Guidant, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boston Scientific. Now, just a few days ago, BS (what appropriate initials) again gets into trouble for again failing to timely file reports. Doesn't BS get it that we all have to obey our laws?
Justice Department announcement was 2010 not 2001
by ted - 2010-03-19 06:03:26
I'm sorry for my typing error. The date of the Justice Department announcement of the criminal charges against Guidant was February 25, 2010 not 2001.
Ted
by ElectricFrank - 2010-03-19 11:03:47
Ted, all I'm trying to say is that the current Boston Scientific flap doesn't seem to amount to much. Even the FDA isn't concerned. The FDA is very picky about what they call "manufacturing process". It can range from something real serious like changing a battery type to something trivial like the font used to put the model number on a circuit board. The FDA can be very arbitrary about the dividing line, and it becomes a CYA step to notify them of a error.
Of course the other possibility is that there are some real problems lurking and this is a smoke screen to cover for them. Another common trick.
frank
You're not wrong Frank
by ted - 2010-03-21 02:03:50
I can't disagree with Frank's observations, but my concern is that Guidant just doesn't seem able to follow the rules that all of us have to live by. If Guidant doesn't disclose innocuous matters, what assurance do we have that it will not again conceal the truth about matters that could once again result in innocent lives being lost. in other words, it is not for Guidant to chose when or what it will and what it will not disclose. Ted
You know you're wired when...
Friends call you the bionic man.
Member Quotes
Since I got my pacemaker, I don't pass out anymore! That's a blessing in itself.
Things to think about.
by sugarleaf4 - 2010-03-16 01:03:05
I have to agree with WB, Flamingo and Ted: cardios & EP's aren't in this business necessarily to feel they helped their patients at the end of a day. Many of them are counting the dollars they made that day telling a patient, "You and you and you three all need devices!" IF they know the patients have insurance that will pay! If you don't have insurance, you don't need a device until you do have insurance. It's the same as handing out the latest prescriptions: I would suggest that "the kick-back theory" (they get money from every one they sell) may play a role in their decision to implant certain brands.
When was the last time you heard of the price of any PM or ICD going down or the first time you heard a manufacturer giving a couple away to patients who needed them? People are getting implanted who don't need implants because the medical professionals and their reps see $$$$ !! Wake up!
Sure, they are some really caring doctors who do take pride in their work and in how they treat their patients, but some take an assembly line approach to patient care and they act as if they have quotas to fill. The posts are full of people who've had assembly line type doctors!! Just because someone has M.D. following their name doesn't mean they have a heart. Some are fairly heartless!!
If money was not the root of their reason for wanting to implant one certain brand, why aren't patients allowed to chose their brand of PM or ICD or at least be a part of the selection process --- it's going in their chests? Would you go to a new car lot and let a salesman tell you, "Here -- you are buying this car, with these options and this is what you will pay for it!" As far as I am concerned, a PM or ICD is far more important than buying a car and it cost a heck lot more!!