Abiomed will pay $3.1 million to settle allegations that it tried influencing doctors to use its Impella heart pump by treating them to lavish meals, MassDevice.com reports.
Here are four things to know.
1. The whistleblower lawsuit alleges Abiomed managers approved expenses for meals involving large quantities of alcohol and paid expenses well above the company's $150 per-person limit.
2. Abiomed is accused of allowing spouses to join meals without sound reason and falsifying the numbers of attendees to drive down the per-person costs reported.
3. "After nearly four years, we are putting this matter behind us to focus on our heart recovery mission and to continue investing in innovation, education and clinical support to ensure we help improve patient outcomes," an Abiomed representative said an in email to MassDevice.com.
4. The whistleblower is expected to receive $542,000 from the settlement.