Boston Scientific has recalled more than 2,200 stents because the tip of the device used to implant them can break off during surgery, causing stroke or internal injury. The artery-opening devices--dubbed NexStent--were distributed worldwide between June 2007 and May 2008. "All U.S. hospitals have responded to Boston Scientific, and a significant number of the distributed devices have been returned," the company said. Because the problem with NexStent happens during surgery, the company said that patients who already have the stent implanted aren't at risk.
It's the second bit of bad news for Boston Sci this week; yesterday, the Wall Street Journal questioned the data on the company's next-generation Taxus stent. The newspaper said the mathematical method the company used to weigh those numbers gave undue advantage to the new stent, and that other statistical methods led to less favorable conclusions. The company's shares fell 2.1 percent yesterday to close at $13.10.
- read the story in Forbes