Boston Scientific Corporation — Ethics Grade C-

Boston Scientific Corporation receives an overall ethics grade of C- (45/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Healthcare. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 55
• privacy: 70
• consumer: 25
• environment: 60
• humanRights: 60

Documented incidents (3)

• Pelvic Mesh Malpractice (high, 2021) — Boston Scientific agreed to pay $188.7 million to settle claims that it deceptively marketed pelvic mesh devices, failing to disclose serious complications like organ perforation and chronic pain.
• Medical Bribery Allegations (medium, 2016) — An investigation suggested the company participated in schemes to bribe doctors in China to use its medical devices, reflecting a broader trend of corruption in international healthcare markets.
• Defective Implant Recalls (high, 2023) — The company faced multiple FDA recalls for heart valve components and embolization coils that were found to have mechanical failures during surgical procedures.

Documented good deeds

• Signature Health Equity — Launched a significant initiative to address racial disparities in heart health screening and treatment in underserved U.S. communities.

Ethical alternatives

• Edwards Lifesciences — Fewer historical settlements related to deceptive consumer marketing practices.