Avanos Pays $22 Million Over Misbranded Device
Avanos Medical has agreed to pay more than $22 million to resolve a criminal charge relating to the company’s fraudulent misbranding of its MicroCool surgical gowns. According to the Justice Department, Avanos falsely labeled the gowns as providing the highest level of protection against fluid and virus penetration. Additionally, an employee and an agent of Avanos obstructed a 7/2016 FDA for-cause inspection by making numerous false entries in four documents requested by agency investigators, it contends. Under the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement, Avanos will pay $22.2 million, comprising a victim compensation payment, a criminal monetary penalty, and a disgorgement payment.