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LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION

J&J Admits Destroying Vaginal Mesh Data

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Charleston, WVJohnson& Johnson, the maker of defective vaginal mesh implants and which are the subject of numerous defective products lawsuits, has been found to have improperly destroyed files related to the products. The finding was handed down by U.S. magistrate judge Cheryl Eifert, who is presiding over the Charleston, W. Va., court where defective vaginal mesh lawsuits have been consolidated.

Judge Eifert said that that J&J’s Ethicon unit acted negligently in destroying or losing thousands of documents and files relating to the development of its vaginal-mesh implants. Gaps in the data reportedly go back as far as 2007. The data relates to vaginal mesh products Gynecare Prolift and TVT Retropubic sling, which were developed for surgical implantation in women who suffered from weakened pelvic walls. Some vaginal mesh lawsuits have been settled and total awards in the millions.

Ethicon did not dispute Judge Eifert’s finding at the pre-trial hearing. Ethicon officials admitted that their protocols for document-retention had “failed miserably in certain instances.” However, it must now be determined whether the jury hearing the class action, which represents some 12,000 personal injury lawsuits, should hear about the lost documentation, as it could sway their verdict.

Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson face allegations that women were seriously harmed by use of the mesh, including suffering pelvic pain, infection and urinary problems. Plaintiffs allege Johnson & Johnson knew the mesh products were unreasonably dangerous but continued to manufacture and sell them.

Johnson & Johnson's Gynecare Mesh is not the only to face allegations of serious injury. Various mesh products, including Avaulta vaginal mesh, have been linked to serious side effects. Those include migration of the mesh, pain, inflammation and other health problems. Some women have undergone surgery to have the mesh removed. In January, 2012, the FDA sent letters to 35 surgical mesh makers ordering new safety studies on the products.

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READER COMMENTS

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I have been in a class action with a law firm in Canada for going on four years now the manufacturing company for my mesh is Johnson n Johnson I was 28. When I received the mesh I'm 36 and my entire life since has been a downward spiral of what I would call h e double hockey sticks. During the first surgery of the mesh I was in school which I passed top of my class to be a personal support worker I passed top of my class but during a bathing of a resident I almost dropped her because urine started leaking down my legs and I could not control my actions and I would never want to hurt a person let alone a elderly person I knew right there that I could not work for what I had went to school for so I went to the doctor to find out why I'm having such bad pain during sex and why I'm leaning urine to the point I am now on Odsp for stress urinary incontinence so now I have had half of the mesh removed so far and now I'm wearing diapers to bed because I can not make it to the washroom at all it just comes when it wants yet I'd still like to have the rest taken out because none of the issues I was having have gotta not one stick better things are getting so bad my intament partner can't hardly take this anymore 16 years are going down the drain because I pee my pants I am sick and in pain everyday so I am lacking on my responsibilitys my children I have ran out if my savings I am having hydro cut off notices all the time because I can work due to this mesh ruining my career I'm writing this because I'm at my wits end and I'm not sure if the class action that I am in is doing anything really all I know is that yes I have a case and they write down all my messages and they have received all the medical documents they have needed to prove that yes the mesh I received has caused isses in my life and nothing is getting any easier nothing I don't know what I should do I can't opt out now its to late I only had til July 28 2015 I also tho haven't received any news on my case and I just can't live this way anymore I'm sad I'm depressed I'm angry I'm hurt because my whole family my whole life all I ever wanted to do was work hard show my kids how important it is to finish school thanks for listening suffering bad hurting every second could use some advice or a kind person to even talk to again thanks for listening to my comments.

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