An update has recently been issued by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) warning of the potential dangers of Medoject hypodermic and blunt fill needles produced by the manufacturer. After concerns were raised about certain batches, the manufacturer issued a Field Safety Notice recalling the five batches of needles in question, according to the MHRA. Used by healthcare services across the UK, there is a worry that a potentially harmful substance may have been unknowingly injected into patients.
Over the years, we have taken on a number of claims regarding faulty or harmful medical products, including hernia mesh and metal-on-metal hip implants. One of our biggest group litigation cases is that of the PIP breast implants – in our action, we have already recovered over £1m in compensation for the victims.
Although there is currently no evidence to suggest that anyone has been harmed by the Medoject needles, we believe that all cases like these require thorough investigation.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK government regulator that monitors the practices of medical product manufacturers and the safety of the goods they produce, has reportedly identified fraudulent activity involving a company based in Italy. Steril Milano is understood to provide services for sterilising medical equipment and devices for a number of manufacturers, including some who supply products to the UK.
However, following its acquisition by a new parent company in 2021, it is believed that Steril Milano did not complete sterilisation processes to the required standard for dozens of manufacturers to whom it provides its services. In response, according to the MHRA, they were forced to take action to ensure that the risk to patients in the UK is minimised.
Whenever concerns are raised about the safety of medical products, it is essential that regulators act to investigate the manufacturers suspected of negligence, as well as alerting relevant hospitals and healthcare centres to give them an opportunity to protect their patients. The MHRA has hopefully acted quickly enough in this case to prevent as many patients as possible from being harmed.
As stories of vaginal mesh complications continue to emerge, many of those who have suffered from the implants are seeking treatment to lessen or stop the pain and injuries they have faced. However, the difficulties of vaginal mesh removal can mean that some of the harmful consequences are, unfortunately, irreversible.
Vaginal mesh implants, used to treat things like urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, have been the subject of controversy for many years. While approved by the UK regulator, the MHRA, the issue of serious complications can be shocking, with many women speaking out about the complications that they have suffered. In response, we have taken on claims from many women affected by the implants, who we believe are eligible to claim compensation for the harm they have been caused.
In a huge win for anyone harmed by medicines or medical devices, the government has agreed to the appointment of an Independent Patients’ Commissioner. Their role will be to stand up for people who have fallen victim to the dangerous side-effects of certain medical products.
At The Group Action Lawyers, we have been raising the unheard voices of suffering patients for many years, taking on many clients in large group and multi-party actions against powerful medical companies and manufacturers. As such, we welcome the news of this new public service, which represents a significant step in the right direction for patients and overall safety.
If you have suffered as a result of complications arising from the use of Essure, perhaps leading to the removal of the device or a recommendation by your doctor to have Essure removed, you could be one of the many eligible to make Essure compensation claims with the Group Action Lawyers.
Essure is a form of permanent birth control that is usually fitted whilst a patient is awake. It is then designed to sterilise the recipient and was manufactured by Bayer HealthCare in the United States but has been fitted in women across the globe.
In some cases, the chance of hernia complications occurring post-op is up to 30%. A U.S. study reportedly indicates that hernia complications are most likely to occur at least 30 days after surgery.
The study looked into all incisional hernia repair hospital admissions between 2010 and 2014 and found that, out of almost 16,000 patients, almost 20% were readmitted within one year of their surgery, and 60% of were readmitted after 30 days. Of the 16,000 patients, 88% were reportedly treated using hernia mesh, and one-third had to undergo further major surgery.
This extremely high percentage of both short-term and long-term readmissions could indicate how dangerous the use of hernia mesh can be. The complications arising from hernia mesh over 30 days after surgery can be incredibly serious. In the UK, the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) has been criticised for failing to review the use after patients came forward with complications. As a law firm, we represent people claiming compensation for hernia mesh problems.
We have a huge amount of experience when it comes to representing people for medical product compensation claims on a No Win, No Fee basis.
If you have been harmed and have suffered injury and loss as a result of a medical product, you could be entitled to bring a legal case for damages. These kinds of claims can be hard to succeed with, so it is important that you get the right legal representatives, and experience is key.
It is often the case that you have a fight on your hands when you are taking on huge multinational corporations that manufacture medical devices. We can be your voice for justice to make sure that you receive some form of justice for what you have had to go through.
The results of the recently published report that follows a large-scale pelvic mesh inquiry raises significant concerns about how women have been treated over this issue.
As the legal representatives for a number of women claiming compensation, the report results did not come as much of a surprise to us. That being said, it was no less worrying to see the results of it.
For some, it may act as some form of vindication. Either way, we represent victims for compensation cases, and if you have yet to look into making a claim, we urge you to speak to our team as soon as you possibly can to avoid missing out.
Drugs recall compensation claims can form into group and multi-party actions when users have suffered as a result of a problem with the manufacturers or the suppliers.
The impact for the victims in these kinds of cases can, of course, be severe; especially if the drugs being recalled are for serious or even life-threatening conditions. Even the fact that there is a recall can be worrying for the patients who are told to stop taking their medication and seek replacements.
When these kinds of recalls happen, they can lead to group action compensation claims if the impact on the victims is severe enough. Groups could range from just a small number of victims who were unlucky enough to be affected, to thousands of people who may have suffered.
The Stanmore hip implant recall published earlier this year relates to the potential for some Modular Femoral Heads being contained in the incorrect packaging.
The urgent Field Safety Notice issued by Stanmore Implants – who are a part of the Stryker Corporation – outlines the issue and the potential dangers. It may be that patients could be fitted with the incorrect implant heads if the problem is not identified by surgeons and medical staff at the time of an operation.
As with most medical implant problems, this recall is a serious matter, and we have seen the damage that can be done to patients when things go wrong with hip implants.
A medical device alert has been issued and published by the MHRA in relation to Ethicon surgical staplers, which have reportedly caused injury to some patients.
It’s understood that there’s a risk that some of the devices manufactured from March 2018 have not been working properly. Reported issues include the devices misfiring or failing to fire the staples during surgery. The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) say that there has been increased complaints of malformed stables with some devices being returned.
With this issue involving invasive surgery, the alert is one that needs to be taken incredibly seriously.
A knee replacement bearing recall has been initiated by Biomet UK Limited after the discovery that there’s a risk of some of their bearings being placed in the wrong packaging.
According to the available Field Safety Notice published by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency), left-handed bearings may have been placed in packaging for right-handed bearings. The discovery was reportedly made after a complaint had been received, and the recall that has been put in place affects products distributed this year.
Recalls involving medical devices and medical implants can be quite common. In some cases, the risk of any actual harm to patients is relatively low. However, in some instances, the problems that people can suffer with can be severe.