Boston Scientific says data proves drug-coated stents are best

Boston Scientific Corp. is at the center of a debate in the medical community after it released new data it says proves its drug-coated stents -- tiny devices used to keep arteries open after surgery -- work better than uncoated ones, according to a Bloomberg News report today.

Boston Scientific, based in Natick, released the results of a study in which 536 patients in 15 countries were studied for their responses to bare and drug-eluting stents. Those who used the company's Taxus drug-eluting stents had lower incidences of heart attacks and blood clots compared with the other group, the company said.

But experts discussing the topic at the World Congress of Cardiology in Barcelona were sharply divided over the results, a development that could lead to confusion among doctors, Bloomberg said.
(By Keith Reed, Globe staff)