Johnson & Johnson to Pay $117 Million Over Surgical Device Marketing
October 17 2019 - 2:20PM
Dow Jones News
By Dave Sebastian
Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon Inc. have
reached a settlement of about $116.9 million with 41 states and the
District of Columbia for allegedly misleading marketing of
transvaginal surgical-mesh devices.
Attorneys general claim J&J and Ethicon misrepresented the
safety and effectiveness of the devices and didn't sufficiently
disclose associated risks.
J&J and its subsidiary were allegedly aware of the
possibility for medical complications from the devices but didn't
adequately warn consumers or surgeons, South Carolina Attorney
General Alan Wilson said Thursday about the multistate
settlement.
The settlement involves no admission of liability or misconduct
on the part of Ethicon, a spokeswoman said in an email, adding that
the company "remains focused on meeting the significant surgical
care needs of health care providers and patients.
J&J stopped selling its transvaginal mesh products in
2012.
Transvaginal surgical mesh is a material that could support
pelvic organs of women who suffer from stress urinary incontinence
or pelvic organ prolapse.
Among the risks the companies allegedly didn't disclose include
pain and inflammation, mesh erosion through the vagina and painful
sex, the South Carolina attorney general's office said.
"Women in South Carolina and across the country were injured by
the deceptive marketing of this product when they trusted that they
were being helped," Mr. Wilson said. "This settlement holds the
companies accountable for violating state law and will prevent this
deception from continuing."
Other states involved in the settlement include Alabama,
Connecticut, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.
"Patients can't make the best decision for their health unless
they and their health care providers know all the pros and cons of
a product," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. "These companies
didn't paint a clear picture of the device's medical risks,
preventing patients from making well-informed decisions."
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 17, 2019 14:05 ET (18:05 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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