Product News and Recalls

J&J settles with lawsuit plaintiffs

Johnson & Johnson has settled with about 845 plaintiffs who filed suit over allegations that the company didn’t adequately warn them about the risks of tendon damage from an antibiotic called Levaquin.

According to Bloomberg, the settlements were disclosed in a filing from Minneapolis, where a federal judge is overseeing about 1,900 Levaquin lawsuits. The filing didn’t say how much the company will pay.

Overall, Johnson & Johnson faces more than 3,400 state and federal lawsuits over Levaquin. Plaintiffs claim the company failed to warn them that the drug is linked to an increased risk of tendon damage in elderly patients, solely in the interests of boosting sales.

Johnson & Johnson is dealing with other legal action over similar allegations of failing to warn patients about unsafe products.

An all-metal artificial hip manufactured by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics was pulled from the market in 2010 after a number of studies showed nearly half of them needed replacement within six years.

The DePuy hip implants were also prone to shedding toxic metal debris in patients’ soft tissues.

And this year, Johnson & Johnson recalled four different types of transvaginal mesh implants, used to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. The recall came in response to complaints that the devices caused severe pain and injuries for recipients.

In lawsuits filed over both DePuy hip and mesh implants, plaintiffs claim the company was aware of the risks even as it sold the products.

You should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns from a DePuy hip or transvaginal mesh implant. If you have significant injuries, you should also consult with a DePuy hip or transvaginal mesh lawyer to discuss your legal rights.

See the story here:

https://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-01/johnson-and-johnson-reaches-settlement-in-845-levaquin-cases