Johnson & Johnson is now under investigation by federal prosecutors regarding the company’s practices in marketing a line of hip implant replacements recalled in 2010.
According to an article by Linda Johnson from the Associated Press, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts and the U.S. Justice Department sent Johnson & Johnson an “informal request” last August for information on its ASR hip replacements.
This investigation comes after many of the hip replacements had to be replaced within a few years and more than 30 products were recalled within the last 3 to 5 years by Johnson & Johnson.
The government’s filing did not specify what exactly they were looking for. However what is known is that J & J has been struggling with legal problems even before problems with the ASR systems arose. Before the ASR systems were recalled, the Food and Drug Administration told DePuy, one of the world’s largest makers of joint replacements and other orthopedic surgery products, to stop marketing the Corail Hip System for two unapproved uses.
In 2007, the company paid $84.7 million in fines in a settlement for alleged kickbacks. From 2002 through 2006, J & J, as well as several other top U.S. makers of replacement knees and hips, were accused of paying kickbacks to surgeons to use their specific product exclusively.
In August 2010 DePuy announced the recall of two artificial joint systems—the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System due to high rates of failure. More than 90,000 of these hip replacement devices were recalled. These failing hip implant devices caused extreme pain and difficulty for patients.
At least one in eight patients who had this recalled hip implant device needed theirs replaced within five years.
Now as a result, J & J faces numerous lawsuits. Attorneys representing the patients claim that J & J knew about the problems with the DePuy hip implant systems back in 2008 and still continued selling them until 2009. J & J claims that they acted properly. The first of these recalled hip implant trials started last month. This is among thousands of lawsuits brought against J & J by those patients affected by the recalled hip implant device.
In addition, J & J very recently recalled a different line of hip implants called the “Adept” brand. “Adept” is an all-metal total hip replacement system and is now recalled because of the higher-than-expected percentage of one part of the system that has to be replaced. This specific hip implant system was manufactured between 2004 through September 2011.
If you or someone you love have fallen victim to the failed DePuy ASR hip implant or an any other Johnson & Johnson recalled hip implant, contact CSS Firm for a free case evaluation and consultation. Our lawyers continue to review claims all over the country in an effort to help those affected by this dangerous product. Our experienced lawyers at Childers, Schlueter & Smith will work closely with you to ensure you get the care and justice you deserve.
