Fraud and Abuse

The ethics of physicians' entrepreneurship have been debated extensively.¹ Proponents have pointed to the necessity of entrepreneurial arrangements; critics fear their effect on medical decision making, the quality of care, and the professionalism and reputation of physicians.^2,3 The resolution of these difficult issues has been left to the consciences of those involved and to ethical codes that seek to prohibit or limit the involvement of physicians in entrepreneurial relationships.^{4 5 6} Despite these ethical codes, the proponents of entrepreneurship have successfully used antitrust law and the rhetoric of competition to engage in entrepreneurial activities.⁷ It has been estimated that between 7 and…