DePuy Orthopedics President Resigns Following Hip Implant Recall Lawsuits

Since DePuy Orthopedics announced that it would recall its ASR hip implants last July, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary as been barraged by bad news and even worse public perception. The metal-on-metal hip implant models were designed to be more sturdy, and were marketed toward a younger audience. But in reality, the hip implant’s metal construction was found to have an astronomical 13 percent failure rate, as many patients complained of chronic pain and abnormal levels of cobalt and chromium in their blood streams. Facing more than 500 state and federal hip implant lawsuits, J&J announced this week that DePuy’s president David Floyd will step down later this month.

March 9, 2011 Andy Gillin

California DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuits May Come to San Francisco

Since DePuy Orthopedics announced a recall of one of its popular hip implant models last August, lawsuits have piled up against the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. Most recently, it looks like a large number of these DePuy hip implant lawsuits are coming to San Francisco, as Superior Court Complex Litigation Judge Richard Kramer said San Francisco would be the best setting for state lawsuits against DePuy, reports the San Francisco Daily Journal. On favoring San Francisco over the larger Los Angeles court system, Kramer said “I wouldn’t assign something to San Francisco if I thought I couldn’t do it.”

March 4, 2011 Andy Gillin

DePuy Hip Implant Short Approval Process Faulted for Major Recalls

Even after a heavy year for medical product recalls, medical device companies have vamped up their criticism of government regulation, and are actively seeking to undermine efforts to make safer products. Last week, for example, the New York Times mentioned DePuy faulty hip implants in an article about companies who say the safety regulations will send business overseas. But a study released this week has shown that the Food and Drug Administration used an abbreviated approval process for more than 70 percent of the products that were recalled over the past five years. For good reason, this study is likely to dampen any hopes for decreased FDA scrutiny.

February 22, 2011 Andy Gillin

Medical Companies Seek Lax Regulation on Devices Like DePuy’s Faulty Hip Implants

It’s true: regulation is often not good for business. The American food industry no doubt took a hit when the government decided to test products for poisons before they hit grocery stores. But we accept those regulations because we know it’s best for public safety. Last week, the New York Times name-checked DePuy Orthopedics and its faulty hip implants in a report on medical device companies that are increasingly critical of government regulation of their products. These companies say US regulation will cause the industry to lag behind nations with more relaxed laws, with little mention of the dangerous side effects associated with lesser regulation.

February 14, 2011 Andy Gillin

Report: FDA Allowed Major Oversight Loopholes for DePuy Faulty Hip Implants

Late last year, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would recall hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics, a division of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson due to an abnormally high number of hip implant failures, which some predicted could easily surpass 12,000. At the time, DePuy critics were quick to note that the ASR hip implant models hit the market without FDA oversight thanks to a loophole that greenlights a product if it is similar to a device already approved by the agency. Last month, the New York Times published a scathing report about DePuy and the FDA, showing just how easy it was for the J&J subsidiary to put a dangerous product on the market.

January 4, 2011 Andy Gillin

DePuy Orthopedics Faulty Hip Implant Lawsuits Move Forward

When DePuy Orthopedics launched its recall of thousands of their ASR hip implant models about two months ago, preliminary discussions indicated that San Francisco was on the short list of potential centers for the pending state and federal lawsuits. This week, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation told the hundreds of plaintiffs lining up to sue the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary for their faulty hip implants that the federal cases would all be referred to Judge David A. Katz in Ohio’s northern district.

December 7, 2010 Andy Gillin

DePuy Orthopedics and Faulty Hip Surgery Lawsuit Timeline

Just under two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration began recalling hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics, citing complaints it has received for more than two years about unusually high (and quick) failure rates of the implants requiring additional surgeries. Since, complaints about the recalled models have flooded in, leading some to predict that the total number of faulty hip surgeries could reach 12,000, and based on past faulty surgeries, lawyers have estimated that DePuy Orthopedics could be on the hook for more than $5 billion.

November 30, 2010 Andy Gillin

Faulty California Hip Surgeries Lead to DePuy Orthopedics Investigation

Two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration announced its recall of hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Since, complaints about the recalled models have flooded in, leading some to predict that the total number of faulty hip surgeries could reach 12,000. Click through for more details and video.

November 29, 2010 Andy Gillin

DePuy Hip Implants Blamed for Faulty California Hip Surgeries

Just under two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration began recalling hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, citing complaints it has received for more than two years about unusually high (and quick) failure rates of the implants requiring additional surgeries. Over and above faulty hip implants, the F.D.A. accused DePuy of marketing an unapproved knee device and selling hip implants for purposes not approved by the agency. Since the recall, more than 100 lawsuits have sprouted up, leaving the potential for many more.

November 22, 2010 Andy Gillin