Abbott Faces $1 Billion Claim in Trial Over Stent Marketing
- Company used unapproved stents on patients, ex-salesman claims
- Whistle-blower suit attempt to `rewrite history,' Abbott says
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Abbott Laboratories is accused in a trial that started Tuesday of marketing unapproved stents for unsuspecting patients and cheating Medicare as a whistle-blower seeks more than $1 billion, a risk the company hasn’t fully disclosed to shareholders.
The company faces allegations it increased sales by marketing devices for uses that weren’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Kevin Colquitt, a former salesman for Abbott and Guidant turned whistle-blower, claims it pushed bile-duct stents, intended for short-term purposes, for more complex vascular use.