DIABETES CHARITABLE GROUP DUMPS MEDTRONIC

IPump.Org, Inc. Will Refuse Diabetic Supplies Made by Medtronic

In what could become an unprecedented kind of initiative, IPump, Inc. has issued a statement that it will no longer accept donated products manufactured by Medtronic.

IPump is a 501(c)3 organization founded to get needed supplies to diabetic children in families that cannot otherwise afford that care. It is no small thing, therefore, for such an organization to close the door on a corporate donor.

IPump's statement on the matter can be accessed at:

http://www.ipump.org/blog/2009/08/08/why-we-are-no-longer-accepting-medtronic-insulin-pumps-and-pump-supplies/

There is discussion both of recurrently failing Medtronic devices, cover-ups, and Medtronic's role in the the fight for FDA preemption in the arena of medical devices.

The statement begins:

"Legal and Ethical Concerns Over Medtronic’s Business Practices

Medtronic has a court-documented track record of failing to properly notify its customers in a timely fashion of known product defects. Product failure has resulted in deaths, hospitalizations, and both individual and class action lawsuits against the company. Their inexcusable behavior has even prompted new proposed legislation because legal rights for patients who died or were injured by Medtronic products were substantially limited when it came to suing for tort damages."

IPump further describes Medtronic collecting used and returned devices and "donating" them to IPump, so that the organization has become (their phrase) a "medical device dumpster." It is also a tax write-off for individual donors of used devices and, until now, good PR for the company.

Quite extraordinary development, I think.