Am I the only person who has seen this? I can't be the only person who thinks this is pretty crazy... Check out this auction on eBay for an ACTUAL BIOENTERICS LAP BAND! Holy cow...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7578343073

If you read the description, they supposidly have to list it as "used" which is even more weird in my opinion... I didn't think you could sell this kind of stuff on eBay, but I guess now if I ever decide to "lose" my band, I can get some money back?! Whoa!

Yes. This is disturbing. The second bidder on it had bought complete bariatric kits and laproscopic equipment. I know the third bidder and he wants it to have it, because he has a band. The doctor that was bidding (I assume they are so) said they were located in the states, but when I looked at the feedback they had left, they are foreign.

I hope my doctor doesn't shop eBay!!!

Next thing you know, we'll have a band hacker, sitting up shop in his garage, LOL. OMG, that's scary!

I thought the same thing! Unreal!

I can just see the new Ebay commercial on television. Some guy singing as he sets up his surgical practice and hangs his shingle outside the front door. LOL

How funny and sick is this.

I can't imagine doctors having time to surf ebay ROFL !!!

God help the patient that runs into the doctor that can.

I'm with oh to be free -- how do we know OUR Dr's didn't buy OUR bands on ebay to save a few bucks!?!?!??! A medical facility of less than stellar reputation could buy them on ebay for $81 (which was the current bid this AM) and then charge the insurance co $3,000.....crazy world! Maybe it is just for those banding at home buffs though -- THAT makes me feel SO MUCH better!

This should get interesting cause I just sent the Ebay listings of both the port and the band to Inamed. Let's see what they have to say.

Just got a response from Larry Fulton and he said he found it last night as well and is bringing it to the Corporate Council.

Impressive? Maybe!! Time will tell.

Penni,

Inamed should buy it and see what the serial number is and track it to whomever purchased it. I was going to report this to Inamed on Monday but I'm glad you beat me to it. It's really scary especially seeing all the other bariatric surgery equipment one of the bidders purchased in the past.

Yes it is scary seeing all the other items the one bidder bought.

I placed a bid on it just for fun and also sent a rather desparate email to the seller. This could get really interesting.

What if I actually won the bid? LOL!!!! I have a band to place in 6 months. Cause you know what? I will sell it back to Inamed for $3000. LOL!!!! Too funny. Who knows what will happen if I win the bid.

This is creeping me out bigtime. Penni, please let us know what you find out. I am so weirded out by the whole thing!

I am a bit disturbed seeing some of the items that the other bidders have bought in the past. I guess buying surgical tools or equipment that can be sterilized is not really that big of a deal, but what kind of medical facility really buys it's supplies on E-bay? Makes me wonder where my band came from.....

Heard back from Don Mills as well.

His comments are as such:

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Naturally, we cannot have patients buying restricted products that have expired and possibly used by untrained surgeons.

We will have this stopped.

At least they don't want it to continue.

Penni, they did not find this on their own last night. I called the 800 24 hour number and the guy I spoke with was going to forward the information on the the higher ups. I was actually on the phone with Don when your e-mail came through. He told me that they would send a lawyer after the seller and make them stop selling the band and the ports. I gave him all 4 auction numbers and told him what the description said. I also offered to bid and win as long as they reimburse me, then they would have the serial number and proof that they are selling to unlicensed buyers. He said he would call me back. They have had these problems before and have had to stop "grey market sellers" from selling their products. I told him the sellers name, address and phone number and he is going to pass it on to the legal team. There are not only FDA laws being violated but also agreements with Inamed that are being breeched. He said they could track the serial number back to the original purchaser and they would handle it with their legal department.

It scares me that some wacko could be buying an expired band and actually putting it in someone, or worse taking it to an unexperienced surgeon and having it put in themselves. This is the kind of thing that gives the band a bad name. Don also said that it probably came from Mexico as they have less strict laws there and they can sell it legally there to a place in the states and then they list it on Ebay. They are so cheap because they are expired and bands only have a 2 year "Dry shelf life" They need the moisture of the body to remain soft and plyable. I will let you all know if Don calls me back. ~Mandy

i'm glad to see that you're looking into this... please keep us posted on the outcome. like i said before, at first it gave me a chuckle, and a queesy feeling in my stomache. then it just made me mad and scared for whomever would end up with this band. ugh! here's hoping we put this band and seller to bed.