Johnson & Johnson’s year of lawsuits
The worldwide company Johnson & Johnson has been on the end of some monumental compensation claims and group actions across the globe.
The year of 2016 was quite the whirlwind year for Johnson & Johnson; they reportedly lost 6 out of 7 jury verdicts in the U.S. as a result of ‘defective’ products. According to Bloomberg, this year isn’t looking any better.
Continue Reading…
Medical device maker Medtronic has recalled their adjustable pressure valves across the world
Medtronic has issued a worldwide recall over their unused StrataMR valve devices after numerous complaints have been raised.
In one of the complaints, one patient death is suspected to be related to the device. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued an urgent Field Safety Notice to distribute news of the recall in the U.K.
Continue Reading…
Lawyers seeking product liability claims against Zimmer for problems associated with their knee replacement implants
Zimmer NexGen knee implants are supposed to provide patients with new artificial knees to last at least 15-20 years. However, there have been numerous reports that the implants have been loosening; causing pain, discomfort and other complications.
With the level of complaints, the implants are believed to be defective and a recall has been issued by the U.S. regulators. However, this isn’t a broken toy that you can just bring to a supermarket for a refund; individuals who have had the knee replacement surgery may be at risk of the implant moving or loosening, and if this occurs, the individual may need knee revision surgery.
Continue Reading…
Health and safety regulators are warning consumers of fake cancer treatments being sold online
Regulators have found 65 fake health products circulating the web that are falsely advertised as cancer treatments.
“Miraculously kills cancer cell in tumours,” “more effective than chemotherapy” – These kinds of potentially fraudulent and unsubstantiated claims are being used to advertise alternative cancer remedies, and the concern is that the vulnerable are being preyed upon.
Continue Reading…
J&J allegedly knew of the risks of ovarian cancer linked to talcum powder for decades
There are approximately 1,000 lawsuits against J&J, but there’s no clear indication of whether Walgreens are included in the lawsuits as a co-defendant.
According to the claimant, Andrea Harris, Walgreens was more than a seller of the talcum powder and actively marketed the powder, tailoring it to their shoppers. Harris noted that it “maintains a joint office with J&J in Buffalo Grove, where it develops business plans for distributing and marketing J&J items, including talcum products, specifically to Walgreens’ shoppers.”
Continue Reading…
The U.S. NHTSA clears Tesla of responsibility behind fatal crash; but does not protect the company from future lawsuits
Last year, former Navy SEAL and Tesla Model S enthusiast, Joshua Brown, died whilst driving a Tesla vehicle on auto-pilot mode.
Perhaps assuming that the “self-driving” vehicle would live up to its name, Brown did not swerve or apply his brakes during the 7 seconds leading up to his collision into the back of a truck. Due to the speed the vehicle was travelling at, Brown tragically died on impact.
Continue Reading…
Studies shows that companies wait too long to recall medical devices
How long is too long?
It seems that medical device companies do not prioritise the safety of their products above profits and reputation, as a study conducted by the University of Minnesota revealed that these companies tend to delay in recalling defective products.
When problems are not reported to relevant authorities – like the MHRA here in the UK – healthcare professionals and the public may be unaware of the complaints, and thus may continue to use defective products that may carry a significant risk of harm.
Continue Reading…
Lithium-ion batteries in a medical device can cause smoke and sparks if dropped
Damaged lithium-ion batteries in a medical device have been a cause for concern for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The CARDIOSAVE hybrid intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and CARDIOSAVE rescue IABP have been reported to have damaged lithium-ion batteries that may give off smoke, a bad smell, or produce sparks.
Macquet, the manufacturer of the medical device, has warned users to avoid carrying spare batteries when transporting the IABP to reduce the risk of dropping and damaging them.
Continue Reading…
Over 48,000 Mercedes-Benz SUVs recalled to fix dangerous airbag defect.
Several Mercedes-Benz models have been recalled due to a defect in their airbags. A failure in calibration has reportedly led to a software flaw that doesn’t always deploy airbags when needed.
Regulators investigating the matter noted:
“The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) calibration may be incorrect, and as a result, the system can incorrectly classify the occupant as a child seat, deactivating the front passenger air bag.”
The Government has issued a medical drug alert alongside a voluntary recall of Viridal Duo Powder amidst concerns over defective cap seals compromising the sterility of the contents.
UCB Pharma Limited is voluntarily recalling their Viridial Duo Powder and Solvent for Injections after concerns that the cap seals are not strong enough. The cap seals are vulnerable to breaking and thus compromising the sterility of the contents.
Viridal Duo Powder and Solvents contain the active ingredient ‘Alprostadil’ and is used for adult males for diagnostic evaluation and treatment of erectile dysfunction. The prescription only injections for diagnostic evaluation purposes are carried out by a trained physician, who will monitor the dose need to produce an erectile response.
For the treatment of erectile dysfunction, this can be administered by a physician or by self-injection.
Continue Reading…
A woman fighting a rare but deadly cancer linked to breast implants speaks out to warn others
Ms Stacey Boone had gone to the doctors multiple times and was turned away, dismissing her concerns as having just contracted the flu. It took an egg-sized lump on her collarbone and a 42 pound weight loss before the doctors finally gave her the correct diagnosis.
Ms Boone had stage 4 cancer.
The type of cancer she was diagnosed with is extremely rare. The breast implant is associated with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), which is a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is a cancer in the lymphatic system which is essentially the immune system.
Continue Reading…
CareFusion syringe pumps are incompatible with any syringe type
Following on from medical device alerts from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), CareFusion has made updates and replacements to the MDA/2016/023 Alaris syringe pumps that were at risk of having uncontrolled bolus i.e. chewed up amounts of substances from the medicine.
Continue Reading…