Massachusetts’ own “boston scientific” spinal cord stimulator lawsuit was filed on January 2nd, 2014.
This case is just the latest in a long line of lawsuits filed against the Massachusetts Medical Device Agency (MMDA) and boston scientific spinal cord stimulator manufacturer Biomet (now Medtronic).
To understand the lawsuit, all you need to understand is how doctors are paid. The MMDA reimburses a doctor’s fees for certain procedures (like spinal cord stimulation) through Medicare. The doctor then divides the money with the patient. The doctor’s fee is based on the amount of the procedure he or she performed, the doctor’s fee is typically lower than the cost of the procedure itself, and the doctor gets a cut of the bill.
This is a controversial area. Many doctors and hospitals are opposed to spinal cord stimulation or other forms of neuromodulation. This is because they believe that it is ineffective. A doctor or hospital may be using spinal cord stimulation as an effective treatment for a patient because he or she has to charge the procedure at a higher cost than the cost of the treatment itself.
That’s not the only argument on the side of spinal cord stimulator companies. Some scientists oppose the idea altogether because they have seen the evidence for the effectiveness of neuromodulation in other areas. Others are concerned about the possibility that the government might start regulating the industry, since many of the devices can fall into the hands of the wrong person.
The latest research is not completely in support of neuromodulation, however. Two years ago, a group found that the nerve cells in the spinal cord don’t respond well to electric stimulation, and that in some patients the neuromodulation could induce phantom limb syndrome.
The first time I saw this video, I was stunned. It was so obvious I didn’t understand why I’d be so flabbergasted, but I think I’d rather be flabbergasted than not understand.
The problem is that these devices have actually been around for quite some time and there are cases that they can be misused in the wrong hands. One of the main arguments is that many doctors do use them to treat pain, but that just means they are more prone to misuse. Even if the doctors themselves arent actually involved in the treatment, they are still in a position to misuse it.
I think our culture is so obsessed with the idea that we shouldn’t try to use these things, we should be using them, but at the same time we shouldn’t even try.
In other news, we’ve just added new support for iOS and Android devices. We’ve also added a new iPhone App, with even more content.