The University of Missouri agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle allegations of false advertising and personal injury connected to the Mizzou BioJoint Center, run by an orthopedic surgeon and veterinarian, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Four things to know:
1. The university paid $16.2 million to settle lawsuits filed by 22 plaintiffs from 2018 to 2020, accusing James Stannard, MD, and James Cook, PhD, of medical malpractice and negligence. Dr. Stannard is the medical director of the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, and Dr. Cook is the director of operations and research.
2. The Mizzou BioJoint Center offers a procedure for biological joint restoration to treat arthritis or joint damage. The plaintiffs, who are former patients, allege Dr. Stannard didn't tell them the BioJoint procedure is associated with up to 86 percent failure rates.
3. The lawsuits also accuse Dr. Stannard of allowing Dr. Cook, a veterinarian, to perform aspects of the surgery on human patients.
4. The plaintiffs also allege false advertising for the center. The university used direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns for the procedure, including local commercials during the Super Bowl.