Johnson & Johnson still taking a hard hit after thousands of the Depuy artificial hips were recalled in 2010. The well known company has faced hundreds of medical device lawsuits due to the failure of the product.
August of 2010, the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular was recalled due to unusually high rates of hip implant failure within only a few years of surgery. DePuy estimated the failure rate to be about 12-13 percent and was designed to last up to 15 years. However, results showed otherwise. Several patients ended up in constant pain resulting in several revision surgeries only a few years after the implant. Doctors continue to warn patients about the risks of all metal-on-metal hip implants. Due to the full metal design of the Depuy hip, the implant is known to shed tiny pieces of metallic ions that lead to a high risk of causing permanent tissue, muscle and bone damage. Though all orthopedic implants shed debris after a few years, the metal-on-metal poses a higher threat that can cause severe lifelong problems.
As doctors and surgeons continue to recommend other procedures of hip implants to patients rather than the metal-on-metal implants, Johnson & Johnson is striving to boost the reputation of their company. According to The New York Times, “Johnson & Johnson pleaded guilty in April 2011 to bribing European doctors and agreed to pay $70 million in fines, as a wide-ranging government investigation of corrupt overseas marketing practices by drug and device makers scored its first major victory. At least a dozen other major drug and device makers are under investigation for similar crimes.” (read full article)
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Since the accusation, the company has focused on regaining the public’s trust in their products and devices, and hope to get back on their feet. If you or a loved one have received a Depuy hip implant and think you may have side effects more severe than usual, don’t hesitate to contact your Dallas Fort Worth Depuy lawyer to discuss your legal options. At Borchardt Law Firm LLP, we wish that no one has to undergo the stress and pain that failed medical devices can cause. We have seen and dealt with many medical device cases and feel the work we do will better protect future generations of Texans. Feel free to give us a call.
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Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Sources:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/johnson_and_johnson/index.html?scp=1&sq=Depuy&st=cse