The Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank, has unveiled the recipients of the 2024 annual Shkreli awards. These accolades highlight the most egregious examples of profiteering and dysfunction within the healthcare sector. Selected by a panel comprising health policy experts, clinicians, journalists, and advocates, the awards aim to shed light on the urgent need for transformation in healthcare practices. The institute hopes that these stories will illuminate necessary changes and prompt action from regulators and stakeholders.

Detailed Insights into the 2024 Shkreli Award Recipients

In the realm of healthcare ethics, the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth secured the tenth spot for its alleged negligence in notifying next of kin before selling body parts of deceased individuals. An NBC News investigation revealed that the institution failed to obtain proper consent from families or the deceased before distributing unclaimed bodies, despite family members being easily identifiable and contactable.

The ninth place went to the outdated practice of baby tongue-tie cutting, often falsely promoted as a cure for various ailments like sleep apnea and nursing difficulties. This controversial procedure continues to be a point of contention within the medical community.

Zynex Medical, a company specializing in nerve-stimulation devices for pain management, claimed the eighth position due to its questionable billing practices. Patients were charged for unsolicited supplies such as batteries and electrode pads, with nearly 70% of Zynex’s $184 million revenue in 2023 coming from these items. Patricia Kelmar, a senior director at US PIRG and a judge on the panel, described this as classic over-billing and fraud.

Sara England and her infant son, Amari Vaca, took the seventh spot after experiencing severe respiratory distress following heart surgery. Despite the critical condition, Cigna later deemed the air ambulance transfer "not medically necessary," resulting in a staggering $97,599 bill for the family. This case highlights the broader issue of insurance denials based on arbitrary criteria.

The sixth spot was awarded to Medicare for its mass billing of urinary catheters, with a suspicious 800% increase in charges over previous years. Seven suppliers were responsible for $2 billion of these dubious claims.

Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico, secured the fifth position for allegedly refusing cancer treatment to patients or demanding upfront payments, even from those with insurance. This practice underscores the financial pressures faced by patients seeking essential care.

Dr. Thomas C. Weiner of Helena, Montana, garnered the fourth spot following ProPublica’s uncovering of his pattern of malpractice and suspicious patient deaths. His actions included subjecting one patient to unnecessary cancer treatments for over a decade, raising serious ethical concerns.

Lumakras, a cancer drug from Amgen, claimed the third spot due to its FDA approval at a higher dose than necessary. Despite similar efficacy at a lower dose, the higher dosage increased toxicity and side effects, highlighting pharmaceutical companies' profit-driven motives.

UnitedHealth Group, now the fourth-largest business in the nation, occupied the second spot. Reports suggest that doctors working for UnitedHealth face pressure to minimize patient interaction time and use aggressive coding tactics to make patients appear sicker, emphasizing the commercialization of healthcare.

Steward Health Care topped the list, with CEO Ralph de la Torre accused of prioritizing private-equity profits over patient care. His financial strategies led to bankruptcy, hospital closures, layoffs, and reduced healthcare access for communities, underscoring the dire consequences of profit-centric approaches in healthcare.

From a journalist's perspective, these revelations underscore the urgent need for stringent regulation and oversight in the healthcare industry. The persistent issues highlighted by the Shkreli awards serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and regulators to address systemic flaws and ensure patient welfare remains paramount. It is crucial to balance profitability with ethical responsibility to restore trust in the healthcare system.