Device makers under scrutiny in international bribery beef

MassDevice, August 17, 2010

The U.S. government is investigating whether medical device and pharmaceutical companies are guilty of bribing foreign officials: Doctors in foreign countries who work for their governments' healthcare systems. Federal investigators are looking into payments to foreign physicians by at least three major medical device makers and several pharmaceutical firms, examining whether the practice runs afoul of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. G-men want the skinny on consulting arrangements by companies including Medtronic Inc., Zimmer Holdings, and Johnson & Johnson with doctors overseas, according to regulatory filings.