The Danger of the Trickle

Posted on January 14, 2009 by mmjdiary

Medtronic is learning the power of truth and the damage of the trickle.Â First, a British medical journal withdrew former Walter Reed physician Dr. Timothy Kuklo’s published research on Infuse, a bone-growth product from Medtronic. Both the Army and the journal maintain the research was falsified.Â Medtronic explained then that it had some connection with Dr. Kuklo — it had funded the research through foundations.Â But, under questioning fromÂ Senator Charles Grassley, MedtronicÂ next disclosed that it had hired Dr. Kuklo as a consultant when he left the Army in 2006.Â Â We’re not done.Â TheÂ most recent disclosure isÂ thatÂ Medtronic paid Dr. Kuklo, while he was still at Walter Reed,Â for speeches given to explain Infuse at meetings for other docs.Â However, Dr. Kuklo did not file the required VA consulting forms for docs who accept such compensation.Â Medtronic has declined to disclose how much was paid and when.Â

The trickle is painful.Â If Medtronic did not know the full scope of the relationship, it could have said so and releasedÂ complete information when it was ready.Â Each trickle is more painful.Â Each revelation points in the direction of a stronger relationship than the earlier disclosures revealed.Â Dr. Kuklo has remained silent.Â The Army maintains the research was falsified.Â The Senate keeps investigating.Â And Medtronic feels the pain of it all.Â

Bad news concealed does not improve with time. Unlike fine wine, the hard truth does not get better with time.Â Get the bad news out there, take your pain.Â You are then battling only one issue — perhaps a misstep, perhaps a setback.Â Hold back on the hard truth and you battle the bad news and a second issue of credibility.Â Trust is lost in the process.Â And Medtronic becomes the target.Â Dr. Kuklo is the one who owes all an explanation.Â But Medtronic’s trickle gives him a pass and the company a mess.Â

About mmjdiary

Professor Marianne Jennings is an emeritus professor of legal and ethical studies from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, retiring in 2011 after 35 years of teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in ethics and the legal environment of business. During her tenure at ASU, she served as director of the Joan and David Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics from 1995-1999. In 2006, she was appointed faculty director for the W.P. Carey Executive MBA Program. She has done consulting work for businesses and professional groups including AICPA, Boeing, Dial Corporation, Edward Jones, Mattel, Motorola, CFA Institute, Southern California Edison, the Institute of Internal Auditors, AIMR, DuPont, AES, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Motorola, Hy-Vee Foods, IBM, Bell Helicopter, Amgen, Raytheon, and VIAD. The sixth edition of her textbook, Case Studies in Business Ethics, was published in February 2011. The ninth edition of her textbook, Business: lts Legal, Ethical and Global Environment was published in January 2011. The 23rd edition of her book, Business Law: Principles and Cases, will be published in January 2013. The tenth edition of her book, Real Estate Law, will also be published in January 2013. Her book, A Business Tale: A Story of Ethics, Choices, Success, and a Very Large Rabbit, a fable about business ethics, was chosen by Library Journal in 2004 as its business book of the year. A Business Tale was also a finalist for two other literary awards for 2004. In 2000 her book on corporate governance was published by the New York Times MBA Pocket Series. Her book on long-term success, Building a Business Through Good Times and Bad: Lessons from Fifteen Companies, Each With a Century of Dividends, was published in October 2002 and has been used by Booz, Allen, Hamilton for its work on business longevity. Her latest book, The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse was published by St. MartinÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Press in July 2006 and has been a finalist for two book awards. Her weekly columns are syndicated around the country, and her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Reader's Digest. A collection of her essays, Nobody Fixes Real Carrot Sticks Anymore, first published in 1994 is still being published. She has been a commentator on business issues on All Things Considered for National Public Radio. She has served on four boards of directors, including Arizona Public Service (1987-2000), Zealous Capital Corporation, and the Center for Children with Chronic Illness and Disability at the University of Minnesota. She was appointed to the board of advisors for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators in 2004 and served on the board of trustees for Think Arizona, a public policy think tank. She has appeared on CNBC, CBS This Morning, the Today Show, and CBS Evening News. In 2010 she was named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Business Ethics by Trust Across America. Her books have been translated into four different languages. She received the British Emerald award for authoring one of their top 50 articles in management publications, chosen from over 15,000 articles. Personal: Married since 1976 to Terry H. Jennings, Maricopa County AttorneyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Office Deputy County Attorney; five children: Sarah, Sam, and John, and the late Claire and Hannah Jennings.

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