Taking Charge: A Blueprint for DePuy Hip Implant Recipients to Follow for Successful Recovery

Taking Charge: A Blueprint for DePuy Hip Implant Recipients to Follow for Successful Recovery

Introduction:

While the FDA began receiving complaints regarding the failure of hip replacement devices manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) for some time, there was not a DePuy hip extensive recall on the device until August of 2010. Many feel the recall should have come much sooner and that the company knew there were issues with the implant for a significant period of time before they issued the recall. Many of the patients who have been implanted with a DePuy hip replacement device later required a second surgery when their original implant failed. This DePuy hip implant failure has negatively affected the quality of life for its recipients.

“Hip” Definitions: A Discussion of Medical Terms Every DePuy Hip Implant Recipient Should Know

“Hip” Definitions: A Discussion of Medical Terms Every DePuy Hip Implant Recipient Should Know

Introduction

July of 2003 saw the worldwide introduction of the metal-on-metal hip replacement by DePuy, although these devices were not used for hip replacement surgeries in the United States until 2005. Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of DePuy, pushed the approval of the hip implant device through the FDA under an expedited process known as the 510(k). This process allows many medical devices to skip rigorous clinical trials when the manufacturer can show the device is substantially equivalent to another device which has already received approval. At the time of the 510(k) approval, DePuy claimed the ASR hip replacement device raised no new issues of safety or effectiveness.

Johnson & Johnson Takes $3 Billion Dollar Fourth Quarter Charge

Introduction

Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of DePuy Orthopedics recently took a fourth quarter charge of over $3 billion dollars related primarily to their voluntary recall artificial hip implants—the DePuy ASR Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. The recall took place in August of 2010, after the FDA had received incident reports regarding the DePuy metal-on-metal hip implants for over two years. Approximately one in eight patients—and possibly more—will require a hip revision surgery to remove the faulty DePuy device and replace it with another hip implant device. Unfortunately, most patients have a longer recovery time and more medical issues related to the second revision surgery than they did with the first.

The DePuy recalled devices implement a specific metal-on-metal hip replacement construction which has been shown to shed metal fragments into the bloodstream and surrounding tissues, causing potentially disabling injuries. These metal fragments can lead to cobalt and chromium toxicity or poisoning. Chromium poisoning symptoms are much the same as those of cobalt poisoning, including brain damage, irregularities of the heart, and even seizures. Cobalt poisoning may even be a contributor to cancer and any form of heavy metal toxicity is not to be taken lightly.

The $3 billion dollars will be set aside for the patients who were harmed by the DePuy devices as well as their attorneys who are involved in this growing product liability litigation. Wall Street’s forecasted stock earnings for the DePuy Company had been estimated to be around $5.21 per share however DePuy’s own company forecast estimates $5.05 to $5.15 per share. Even so, Johnson & Johnson reported better than hoped for fourth-quarter earnings due in part to favorable taxes and the sale of some new prescription drugs. Johnson & Johnson’s global sales for the last quarter of 2011 was a staggering $16.26 billion dollars, making it difficult for those injured by the hip recall device to feel much sympathy for the pharmaceutical giant

Recall of Artificial Hip Causes Johnson & Johnson 2012 Earnings Forecast to Dip

 Recall of Artificial Hip Causes Johnson & Johnson 2012 Earnings Forecast to Dip

Introduction

The pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson, has been given a 2012 earnings forecast which is below the previous estimates present by financial analysts due to the number of DePuy hip replacements which were recalled. In fact, recent reports state Johnson & Johnson takes $3 billion charge for hip recall. In 2010 it was discovered that the DePuy metal-on-metal hip replacement devices were shedding metal fragments and Johnson & Johnson issued a recall for those particular hip replacements. The metal fragments which were shed into the body were found to cause disabling injuries in some recipients, and the toxicity from the chromium and cobalt debris can cause the surrounding tissues to suffer necrosis or death.

Things You Should Know About Johnson & Johnson’s and DePuy Orthopedics’ Attempts to Help Hip Implant Recipients

Things You Should Know About Johnson & Johnson’s and DePuy Orthopedics’ Attempts to Help Hip Implant Recipients

Introduction

DePuy hip implants were used widely throughout the world, beginning in 2003, and in the United States from 2005. Although concerns were raised regarding the safety of these hip implant devices, a recall by DePuy was not issued until August of 2010 when DePuy received data from the National Joint Registry showing the five year revision rate for the ASR hip replacement system was approximately 12-13%. This study appeared to show that the risks for revision surgery were highest among female patients who received the smaller ASR heads which were less than 50mm in diameter. The recall in 2010 was voluntary on the part of DePuy and Johnson and Johnson and the pharmaceutical giant has subsequently issued several field safety notices to physicians to enable them to help their patients whose health has been affected by the DePuy hip implant failure.

New Updates for DePuy Hip Implant Victims

The DePuy ASR Litigation Status Conference

On January 23, 2012, the DePuy ASR Litigation Status Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida was held before Judge David Katz. Judge Katz is the United States Federal District Judge assigned by the Multi District Litigation panel of judges to hear all pretrial matters in any DePuy ASR cases filed in federal court.

Judge Katz met with the Executive Committee of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for about an hour privately before he met with all attorneys in open court. The Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee are the dozen or so lawyers Judge Katz assigned as leaders of all plaintiffs’ lawyers who have filed cases in the ASR litigation. The Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee is responsible for gathering evidence (Johnson and Johnson and others have turned over approximately 18,000,000 documents so far), taking depositions of fact and expert witnesses, legal analysis, submitting briefs to the court, and a variety of other tasks.