A San Diego judge ordered the health care company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay a staggering $340 million to the state for false or misleading advertising. The judge pointed out that he believes that the J&J’s subsidiary Ethicon purposefully neglected to warn both doctors and consumers of the dangers that the company’s pelvic mesh product posed when announcing his ruling.
Johnson & Johnson Purposely Left Out Side Effects
The California judge who presided over the case found that the company purposely left out certain side effects that the mesh posed from their product instructions. J&J also steered clear from referencing them when educating doctors and patients about any benefits and risks associated with having it implanted in them. The judge found that there were serious risks that J&J knew that the mesh posed, yet they intentionally kept such information to themselves.
A J&J spokesperson stated the judge’s ruling. In it, they mentioned that their subsidiary Ethicon has always remained compliant with U.S. Food and Drug Administration laws. The spokesperson noted that this includes relaying what the benefits and risks associated with the use of its transvaginal mesh were to all parties involved. The company representative noted that J&J intends to appeal the judge’s ruling in a process that can take as long as three years.
Pelvic Mesh Development
The company’s pelvic mesh product was developed as a permanent solution to help women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence better manage their condition.
Women across more than 41 states and in the District of Columbia have filed suit against J&J after suffering a variety of complications post-implant since the product was first released on the market. The company paid out $117 million in damages just last year.
If you’ve suffered complications after having been implanted with this product, then you should reach out to a Houston defective medical devices attorney. A product liability lawyer can advise you of your right to join a class-action lawsuit or whether your case may be better suited for other types of litigation.
