Have you or someone you loved suffered a personal injury in Missouri due to side effects from a vaginal mesh implant, like Johnson & Johnson’s Gynecare ProLift product?
If so, you might be interested in the following breaking news: according to recently released documents, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration told J&J way back in 2007 to stop marketing its vaginal mesh implant product. This revelation is sure to ratchet up consumer concerns over the safety of pelvic mesh devices. Currently, Johnson & Johnson faces over 1,400 lawsuits in Missouri, Illinois, and elsewhere; plaintiffs claim that the mesh devices caused nerve damage, scarring, long-term pain, and organ perforation.
The vaginal mesh implant business is big business. Johnson & Johnson started selling the ProLift device back in 2005. In 2010, Johnson & Johnson and other companies sold $175 million worth of these and similar medical products to treat a condition called pelvic organ prolapse; manufacturers earned another $300 million for selling implants to treat incontinence.
Although the FDA cleared the ProLift device for market in May 2008, the agency repeatedly warned J&J about the potential deficiencies of the product, setting 16 different problems and stipulating “you may not market this device until you have provided adequate information [regarding said deficiencies]… if you market the device without conforming to these requirements, you will be in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.”
The FDA’s impotence — both to stop Johnson & Johnson and to punish the company and others like it for promoting potentially unsafe products — has dismayed industry watchers. For instance, in response to the agency’s incapacity to regulate Johnson & Johnson, Erik Gordon, a professor of business at the University of Michigan, called the FDA “a sheriff packing a water pistol.”
If you or someone you care about has been injured by a vaginal mesh implant or other medical device, you may be eligible to receive significant compensation for your pain, suffering, medical bills, lost work, and other damages. Connect with the experienced, effective team at Carey, Danis & Lowe for a free and confidential case evaluation, or give us a call at (877) 678-3400 for answers to your urgent questions.
