DePuy ASR (Artificial Surface Replacement)

2018: Payment of compensations for the rejected prostheses

On September 7, 2018 the Johnson & Johnson company agreed to pay compensations to patients who suffered from use of the rejected endoprosthesis of a coxofemoral joint of DePuy ASR (Artificial Surface Replacement) which was withdrawn eight more years before in India.

In August, 2018 the Indian regulator in the field of circulation of medicines of India     (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) recommended to Johnson & Johnson to pay not less than 2 million rupees ( about $27,812) to each Indian at whom is or there was an implant of ASR. Like those there are 4700 people. The federal government asked states to assist patients as soon as possible.

We always were and we continue to be entirely interested in support of all our patients who use ASR in India and the rest of the world — the representative of the company told Reuters news agency. — In the light of the recent report of committee we aim to cooperate with the Indian government in development of proper process of rendering further support and compensation to the needing patients.

Endoprosthesis of a coxofemoral joint of DePuy ASR

The metal prostheses of ASR for a coxofemoral joint made with a construction defect were made by child structure of Johnson & Johnson — DePuy Orthopaedics company. Prostheses were available to patients to the middle of 2010 when a significant amount of complaints to their fast destruction and hit of splinters in soft fabrics of area of a coxofemoral joint was recorded. It demanded from patients of an insert of a new prosthesis.

During one of judicial listenings documents from which it became known that DePuy Orthopaedics was aware of design faults of ASR were published. Before in the company claimed that displaid a prosthesis from the market as soon as it showed the inefficiency

In 2013 Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay in total $2.5 billion for settlement of several thousand claims from patients in the USA which got different injuries from a defective prosthesis.

In India the company paid only $2 million for carrying out repeated transactions which were required to patients and also refunded to $250 thousand expenses on the corresponding diagnostic procedures within the program of a withdrawal of ASR. The authorities of the country repeatedly criticized the American producer for unwillingness to pay compensations by the victim. At the beginning of September, 2018 Johnson & Johnson agreed to payments. Their size is not specified.

According to the Indian government, 93 thousand people in the world used endoprostheses of a coxofemoral joint of DePuy ASR.

Metal prostheses, like ASR, as a rule, are stronger and reliable, than traditional products with hinged constructions to "metal-on-plastic". However reaction of organisms of many patients to such implant was unhealthy, reported in the Indian government commission.

In the same place noted that Johnson & Johnson till 2015 refused to share information on constructive problems with a prosthesis.

It shows the negligent attitude of the company to helping patients — said in the commission which called for periodic advertizing to increase awareness of people on implants.

Johnson & Johnson entered the Indian market in 1947 when began to sell the scandalous children's powder on the basis of talc. In the 2000th years the company faced in the country a number of the problems including connected with restriction of the maximum prices of the medical equipment notes Reuters.^[1]

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