Johnson & Johnson Settles Pelvic Mesh Sale Claims for $117 Million

Women have complained about intense pain and bleeding after receiving mesh implants. In some cases, women have had additional surgery to remove the implants — a procedure that can be fraught with its own problems.

In a statement, Johnson Johnson said the settlement, which also covers its subsidiary Ethicon, was not an admission of liability or misconduct. Attorneys general from states including Florida, Texas and Ohio led the negotiations.

“Women in Indiana and across the country have suffered as a result of the actions of Johnson Johnson and Ethicon Inc.,” Curtis Hill, the Indiana attorney general, said in a statement. His state will receive $4.4 million under the agreement.

The settlement does not include California, which took Johnson Johnson to court this summer. That state is seeking up to $800 million in damages over claims that Johnson Johnson deceived tens of thousands of women and doctors about the benefits of pelvic mesh to treat both organ prolapse and incontinence. Testimony concluded last month, but the judge has not yet ruled.

Shares of Johnson Johnson have come under pressure this year from the mounting costs of litigation.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/business/johnson-johnson-pelvic-mesh-settlement.html?emc=rss&partner=rss