Minn. hearing begins on Guidant $296M plea deal
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
A hearing is under way in federal court in St. Paul, Minn., on a plea deal by the Guidant division of Boston Scientific Corp. over its failure to properly disclose problems with some of its implantable heart devices.
The plea deal calls for Guidant to pay more than $296 million. Prosecutors say it's the largest criminal penalty ever assessed against a medical device company.
Guidant agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts - submitting a false statement to regulators about one model and failure to notify them about a safety correction to another line of devices.
Attorneys for patients who have sued Guidant have objected because the deal doesn't require the company to pay restitution.
A judge must approve the deal.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.