Johnson & Johnson - DePuy Hip Recall Info

If you have a DePuy Hip it is critical that you know that the failure rate of 12% has now caused sufficient alarm to call for a Recall of the Artificial Hip. If you or a loved one have a DePuy Hip call our Law Firm day or night at 800-862-1260.

DePuy Orthopedics has announced the recall of two of its artificial hip implants, products which have been in production for years and have resulted in a replacement rate of 12% due to product failure.

The recalled products include:

• ASR XL Acetabular System
• DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System

Both recalled hips have exhibited an unacceptable range of complications in Britain and Canada as well as the U.S. The recall is international in scope.

These hip replacement units have showed remarkable failure rates; the occurrences requiring for a second operation for yet another replacement has occurred within five years of the original implant. Despite the ongoing difficulties with the DePuy products the company has sold 93,000 units prior to issuing the recalls. DePuy is a division of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, which has experienced eleven recalls since last September among all of its divisions and branded products.

The hip implants were introduced to the market in 2003. The company halted production on the products in 2009 but had not acted on the rising tide of complaints until now, August of 2010. The first lawsuit on behalf of a patient who suffered the pain and expense of a bad implant and implant replacement procedure was filed sixteen months ago. With the wholesale recall of both these products there is sure to be more legal activity; DePuy Orthopedics accounted for over $5 billion in revenue for Johnson & Johnson last year.

The Acetabular System in particular has resulted in metal to metal contact between the cup and joint, leading to the possibility of metal shavings being released into the body. Other physical problems have included secondary injuries caused by difficulty walking and in some cases, bone fractures. The FDA has received hundreds of reports from individuals who have had these devices implanted and from physicians who have had to deal with the resulting problems.

On August 24th, 2010, DePuy was warned by the FDA about marketing its TruMatch Personalized Solutions joint replacement system without having received FDA approval. In addition the company was cautioned about marketing its Corail Hip System for uses that haven't been approved. The voluntary recall of the seven year old hip replacement products has been accompanied by a commitment from DePuy to pay medical costs related to the recall including the costs for a replacement.

We believe that the statements of DePuy suggest that their commitment is ambiguous at best and provides no compensation for medical damage done by the faulty products or any pain and suffering related to their failure.

If you or someone you know have a DePuy ASR Hip Replacement please fill out the Free Case Evaluation form to the right and we will call or email you shortly. Or call us Toll Free - 800-862-1260