A ProPublica analysis found almost 400 pharmaceutical and medical device manufactures paid physicians who were previously disciplined by their state medical boards.
In its analysis, ProPublica reviewed disciplinary records for physicians in California, Texas, New York, Florida and New Jersey. Then, analysts checked this information against CMS data on company payments to physicians, which included payments for speaking, consulting, education, travel and gifts.
Here are five key points:
1. The analysis found Stryker paid one orthopedic surgeon more than $14,000 in consulting fees in addition to travel expenses in the first half of 2015. The New York's Board for Professional Medical Conduct alleged that same surgeon improperly prescribed pain medication to 28 patients in June 2015. The state board fined the surgeon $50,000 and placed him on probating for three years.
2. Of the analyzed reports, most entailed minor offenses such as not attending a mandatory continuing medication education courses. However, a fraction of the reports involved severe offenses including sexual misconduct.
3. ProPublica found nearly 40 physicians had their licenses revoked or surrendered their licenses. More than 180 physicians' state boards temporarily suspended or restricted their licenses, and nearly 250 physicians were placed on probation.
4. In 2010, Propublica published an analysis on payments seven drug companies made to disciplined physician. Following the article, various companies vowed to update their screening process. However, ProPublica claims few companies gave details about their background checks and whether they were aware of the cases ProPublica outlined in its report.
5. The 2016 analysis also uncovered some companies that made similar payments to disciplined physicians in its 2010 analysis also made these payments in its recent analysis.
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