Mass Torts Update - Tuesday, July 3, 2012 14:08 - 0 Comments

Product Issues Are Not New With Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson’s problem with its mesh products isn’t the first time Johnson & Johnson has been faced with similar issues. In August 2010, Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary DePuy Orthopedics announced the recall of parts used for hip replacements after studies pointed to an unusually high rate of revision surgeries connected to the devices. An estimated 93,000 people are affected by the recall. Patients are reporting problems within as little as five years after receiving the hip implants, which use metal-on-metal parts.

Folks with the implants are reporting problems including pain, swelling and problems walking. The hip implant has shown that it may loosen from the bone, cause fractures in the bone where it is implanted, or dislocate. The devices also are linked to a condition called metallosis, or metal poisoning resulting from metal shavings from the devices entering the bloodstream. Navan Ward, a lawyer in our Mass Torts Section, was appointed by the MDL Court to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee. If you have questions about DePuy cases, you can contact Navan at Navan.Ward@beasleyallen.com.