Re: Orthopaedic implant company pays £5m order for making corrupt payments to Greek surgeons
Dear Editors,
Carone Plan issued by IMF-ECB-EC for improving Greek Healthcare, states that since informal payments and bribes to doctors in Greek public Hospitals are difficult to eliminate, they should be legalized and taxed! [1]
Widespread corruption exists for decades in Greek public Hospitals. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
This will mean that corrupt payments of implant or pharmaceutical Companies to Greek doctors will not be penalized, in the future!
Carone Plan also implies that bribes paid to Hospital doctors in order to have elective surgery in days, instead of many months or years, should be legalized too!
Is this the best plan expert IMF and ECB healthcare managers and economists have for Greece?
Is it logical to legalize theft and corruption because it is so widespread?
Corruption in Greek public Hospitals can be eliminated overnight, if swift and severe punishments are applied.
Public opinion in Greece has zero tolerance for doctors in public Hospitals who practice extortion for “under the table payments”.
By proposing to legalize bribes, indirect payments and Pharmaceutical Industry promotional activities, these economists lose credibility in my Country.
Compliance to needed reforms is jeopardised if such unpopular measures are proposed.
After all, if stronger ties with Pharmaceutical Companies are allowed, expenditures will rise dramatically.
This has been happening in Greece during the last 15 years!
Competing interests:
Dr Stavros Saripanidis is a diligent taxpayer who is called to pay for all accumulated and ever increasing debt in Greek public Hospitals.
Widespread corruption and overpricing have significantly increased Hospital debt.
Rapid Response:
Re: Orthopaedic implant company pays £5m order for making corrupt payments to Greek surgeons
Dear Editors,
Carone Plan issued by IMF-ECB-EC for improving Greek Healthcare, states that since informal payments and bribes to doctors in Greek public Hospitals are difficult to eliminate, they should be legalized and taxed! [1]
Widespread corruption exists for decades in Greek public Hospitals. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
This will mean that corrupt payments of implant or pharmaceutical Companies to Greek doctors will not be penalized, in the future!
Carone Plan also implies that bribes paid to Hospital doctors in order to have elective surgery in days, instead of many months or years, should be legalized too!
Is this the best plan expert IMF and ECB healthcare managers and economists have for Greece?
Is it logical to legalize theft and corruption because it is so widespread?
Corruption in Greek public Hospitals can be eliminated overnight, if swift and severe punishments are applied.
Public opinion in Greece has zero tolerance for doctors in public Hospitals who practice extortion for “under the table payments”.
By proposing to legalize bribes, indirect payments and Pharmaceutical Industry promotional activities, these economists lose credibility in my Country.
Compliance to needed reforms is jeopardised if such unpopular measures are proposed.
After all, if stronger ties with Pharmaceutical Companies are allowed, expenditures will rise dramatically.
This has been happening in Greece during the last 15 years!
References
[1] http://www.tovima.gr/files/1/2012/03/13/H%20%CE%95%CE%9A%CE%98%CE%95%CE%...
Page 141
[2] Health Policy. 2008 Jul;87(1):72-81. Epub 2008 Feb 4.
Informal payments in public hospitals in Greece.
Liaropoulos L, Siskou O, Kaitelidou D, Theodorou M, Katostaras T.
Center for Health Services Management and Evaluation, Faculty of Nursing, University of Athens, Greece.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18249459
[3] Bribes in Greek public hospitals, Stavros Saripanidis’ Rapid Response in:
http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2408?tab=responses
[4] Greek Hospitals produce every year debt exceeding Hospital total market value, Stavros Saripanidis’ Rapid Response in:
http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4870?tab=responses
[5] Long lasting corruption makes pharmaceutical products in Greece very expensive, Stavros Saripanidis’ Rapid Responses in:
http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4803?tab=responses
[6] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/05/greece-healthcare-brink-cata...
[7] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15220054
[8] Corruption and informal payments in Greek public hospitals, reported by Deutsche Welle, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, ABC Australia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUrVT0lRu3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkqxQ3qZg90
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405297020365880457663881208956638...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/2011/11/12/greeks-seeking-access-to-hea...
[9] Widespread corruption in Greek medical doctors
http://www.hri.org/news/greek/apeen/2010/10-06-14.apeen.html
[10] Greek National Health System will collapse within months, says Health Minister:
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_6625_27/01/2012_424775
Competing interests: Dr Stavros Saripanidis is a diligent taxpayer who is called to pay for all accumulated and ever increasing debt in Greek public Hospitals. Widespread corruption and overpricing have significantly increased Hospital debt.