US investigating Abbott stent sale

Abbott Laboratories said it received a subpoena last month from the US Justice Department in connection with its sales and marketing of bile-duct stents.

The government is investigating whether the company violated civil or criminal laws in connection with Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements paid to third parties, Abbott of Abbott Park, Illinois, said today in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company said it doesn’t anticipate a “material adverse effect” on company finances.

The US Food and Drug Administration warned about illegal sales of stents when it met in March 2007 with the companies that make the devices, among them Boston Scientific Corp, Alveolus Inc and Johnson & Johnson.

Boston Scientific, based in Natick, Massachusetts said in February the Justice Department was investigating whether the company and other suppliers were illegally promoting the devices for unapproved uses.