In the news:
Originally published February 2, 2012 at 9:22 PM | Page modified February 3, 2012 at 7:07 AM
Bone-marrow-donor registry is fined in recruiting case
The Caitlin Raymond International Registry and UMass Memorial Health Ventures paid models to help recruit potential bone-marrow donors during drives at malls, festivals and sporting ventures.
BOSTON — A bone-marrow registry and medical-laboratory company that used fashion models wearing high heels and short skirts to recruit potential donors will pay Massachusetts and New Hampshire $770,000 for engaging in an improper marketing practices, officials said Thursday.
The Caitlin Raymond International Registry and UMass Memorial Health Ventures paid models to help recruit potential registrants during donor drives at malls, festivals and sporting events.
According to a final judgment filed Thursday, the registry and lab company will pay restitution to Massachusetts consumers for any payments they previously made for donor testing. They also will pay the state $500,000 for initiatives to improve health-care services and to combat unlawful marketing practices and $20,000 to cover the cost of the investigation. They also agreed to not charge health plans more than $175 during the next five years for donor testing.
New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney announced a separate judgment in which UMass Memorial will pay the state $200,000 in civil penalties, $50,000 in attorneys' fees and donate $100,000 to the National Bone Marrow Registry.
