The hits just keep coming for drug giant J&J who recently issued recalls for some its most popular and profitable products like Children’s Tylenol, and just last week, its Acuvue contact lenses had to be pulled from the Asian and European markets. Yesterday, J&J’s DePuy Orthopedic division recalled the ASR XL Acetabular System, a hip socket used in traditional hip replacement, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, a partial hip replacement that involves placing a metal cap on the ball of the femur, a method intended to preserve more bone. (more…)
Further to my June 24 blog and as reported in the The Boston Globe, Harvard Medical School has joined the ranks of medical educational facilities that have enacted new, tough conflict-of –interest rules affecting the payment of educators and others by Big Pharma and Medical Device manufacturers. (more…)
Lawyers who bring claims for persons hurt by defective medical devices and drugs have long known that both industries provide significant funds—to the tune of 1.2 billion dollars—to finance continuing legal education for doctors. We also know that pharmaceutical and medical device companies sponsor “educational programs” for doctors that highlight their products with paid “though leaders” —physicians hand-picked by industry—as presenters at these programs. But some doctors and medical schools are finally saying enough is enough—no more industry money. (more…)
Last week a state court jury ruled on the first trial of a shoulder pain pump case anywhere in the country. The jury found in favor of the injured victim, a 38 year old man, in the amount of $5.5 million. The case was Beale v. I-Flow. Mr. Beale suffered from a condition called chondrolysis (loss of cartilage) in his shoulder following the use of a pain pump after routine shoulder surgery. Marc P. Weingarten, a partner in the Philadelphia office of the Locks Law Firm is investigating a large number of these cases and has already filed suit for one client in Massachusetts. If you have had shoulder surgery, and then used a pain pump, and now experience shoulder pain, clicking in the shoulder joint, limited range of motion, or have been diagnosed with chondrolysis, please call Marc at 215.893.3404 or email him at mweingarten@lockslaw.com, to discuss your legal rights.
As consumers of medical care and products, including drugs and devices, we want the FDA to have the most up-to-date tools in order to protect our health. In the August 13th, 2009 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, two articles detail the newest plan to monitor drug safety in the United States. (more…)
On July 24, 2008 Zimmer Holdings announced that it was voluntarily suspending United States sales of its Durom © Acetabular Component (Durom Cup) used in total hip replacement surgeries. The device was first approved for use in the U.S in 2006 and has been implanted in an estimated 12,000 patients. In a press release issued by Zimmer, the largest manufacturer of implantable orthopedic devices, the company said
“Zimmer Holdings, Inc (NYSE and SWX: ZMH) is temporarily suspending marketing and distribution of the Durom®Acetabular Component (Durom Cup) in the United States,
while the Company updates labeling to provide more detailed surgical technique
instructions to surgeons and implements its surgical training program in the U.S. The
Durom Cup will continue to be marketed without interruption outside the U.S.”
(more…)
Gadolinium is a paramagnetic metal ion which is injected into the blood as an intravenous radiocontrast agent to enhance images in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs) and other imaging. The FDA has requested that the manufacturers of Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA’s) help define the risk of disease. The FDA ordered a black box warning in May 2007. (more…)
