Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary company, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, has agreed to pay $25 million in settlements after pleading guilty to selling infants’ and children’s over-the-counter liquid medicine containing metal particles, an AP article reports. McNeil admits failing to take proper action after finding that metal particles, including iron, nickel, and chromium, were introduced to Tylenol and Motrin products during manufacture at a plant in Fort Washington, PA. According to the manufacturer, no one was injured by the contaminated medicine. The FDA has nevertheless recommended that consumers stop using the products.
McNeil first became aware of the metal particles in its products in 2009, when they received a complaint about black specks found in a bottle of Infants’ Tylenol. According to court documents, McNeil confirmed the presence of metal particles in the liquid medicines, yet continued to manufacture them for several more months before eventually issuing a recall.
This is not the first time McNeil’s Tylenol products have come under legal scrutiny. Since 2013, plaintiffs in Tylenol liver failure lawsuits have alleged that for many years, manufacturers of certain types of Tylenol were aware of the potential for liver damage and failure caused by the ingredient acetaminophen, but over-promoted the safety and effectiveness of these products, failing to adequately warn users of the risks of liver failure involved with their use. The federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is handling numerous Tylenol liver failure lawsuits that have been consolidated in a multidistrict litigation.
Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary companies have a long history of product recalls. Products that have been recalled have resulted in include birth control lawsuits, hip replacement lawsuits, and transvaginal mesh lawsuits. Some of these recalled products have proved more dangerous than others, resulting in serious health problems and in some cases death.
Speak with your doctor or physician whenever you decide to change medications. If you or a loved one has experienced liver failure after taking Tylenol, or suffered health problems after using a recalled Johnson & Johnson product, contact the pharmaceutical attorneys at Lopez McHugh for a free consultation. You may qualify for compensation through a product liability lawsuit.
