Joint replacements are the #1 expenditure of Medicare. The process of approving these medical devices is flawed according to the Institute of Medicine. It is time for patients' voices to be heard as stakeholders and for public support for increased medical device industry accountability and heightened protections for patients. Post-market registry. Product warranty. Patient/consumer stakeholder equity. Rescind industry pre-emptions/entitlements. All clinical trials must report all data.
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Twitter: @JjrkCh

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Knee replacements have tripled from 1997 to 2009

(Link here) 5% of Americans over age 50 have artificial knees!

The article was published today by AP reporter, Lindsey Tanner.   The US does not have a national registry of implanted devices and the medical device industry has resisted it for 20 years.  Consumer/taxpayer outrage must counter the powerful lobby of the medical device industry to propel Congress to change the charter of the FDA.  Give us our damned data so that we can make life-enhancing decisions!  Joint replacements are the #1 expenditure of Medicare.  Taxpayers paid for a large majority of procedures and the aggregate data generated from those purchases should be made available to patients/citizens/taxpayers.  It is NOT proprietary information!

The Department of Transportation investigates/regulates/recalls effectively:

(Link here) Toyota RAV4 recalled for power window switch defect that may cause fire.

Product Safety Commission investigates/regulates/recalls effectively:
(Link here) Coffee makers recalled for burn risk.

The FDA missed the failures of 37,000 failed J&J metal on metal hips.

Our economy is dependent upon getting this right.  No more victims of medical and legal purgatory of failed implanted devices!

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