British Whistleblower jailed for Greek HEALTHCARE bribes

[WhiskeyGirl]

Wow.  How did this happen?  Maybe they were trying to save money?

Robert Dougall, a former vice-president of Leeds-based healthcare products company DePuy International, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, became the first British whistleblower to be prosecuted by the SFO and imprisoned for involvement with corruption.   

Dougall, who disclosed to the enforcement authorities information relating to corruption at DePuy, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for his involvement in the corruption. Dougall pleaded guilty in Southwark Crown Court to conspiring with DePuy between 2002 and 2005 to make corrupt payments and/or give other inducements totalling approximately £4.5 million to Greek healthcare officials in order to secure contracts to supply orthopaedic products. It is expected that Dougall will appeal the sentence.

More here - http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=e192de5c-9554-4b57-9ec0-3c45fa5c7888

[WhiskeyGirl]

Earlier, the court heard the practice of healthcare companies making corrupt payments to surgeons and doctors in Greece was “all-but standard practice”.

The cost of a prosthetic knee in Greece was €4,400 (£3,800), compared with a European average of €2,200 (£1,900) and a low of €1,100 (£970), the court heard.

John Kelsey-Fry, QC, prosecuting, said: “There is no doubt one of the reasons why the prices were so high in Greece is that the market was corrupt. The losers therefore were the Greek taxpayers.”

more here - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7125154.ece

Sound familiar?  IIRC, the H1N1 vaccine was supposed to cost like $2 - $20 a dose based on some WHO/UN estimate.  In the US, taxpayers paid like $300 per dose.  The Chinese made a generic for $.50 per dose. 

Why do Americans pay more than anyone else?  Corruption?

Same with prescription drugs.  Why does a drug cost an American $72 dollars, maybe $30 in Canada, and less if ordered from a pharmacy in India? 

Why do Americans keep getting stuck with the highest prices on the globe?

Corruption?