Bard

Bard is an American manufacturer of medical supplies. In particular, the company produces devices for the surgical treatment of hernias, stents, urological catheters, thermoregulators, ports and PIK catheters that prevent the development of phlebitis in chemotherapy in adults and children. Bard is considered the world's first manufacturer of disposable medical devices for stationary procedures.

History

2024: Becton Dickinson hernia nets maim people

In early October 2024, Becton Dickinson settled much of the litigation over the CR Bard hernia mesh that maimed patients. The manufacturer agreed to pay compensation.

Surgical mesh is used for herniation to help reduce the chance of a hernia forming again. Over the past decade, patients have filed thousands of lawsuits alleging that substandard hernia nets caused injuries and severe complications. BD continues to dispute these allegations and intends to "vigorously defend itself" in cases not resolved under this settlement. However, back in 2019, the company recalled hundreds of thousands of transvaginal pelvic prolapse correction nets due to safety allegations.

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Becton Dickinson

By 2024, BD had received more than 33,000 complaints about poor quality products for hernioplasty. The jury ordered BD's subsidiary, CR Bard, to pay $4.8 million to a patient who said he was seriously injured due to the installation of a hernioplasty net.

The new settlement addresses a number of cases being heard together in a Rhode Island trial and a federal multi-district trial in Ohio. In such a case, the company allocates a special reserve of funds for payments for litigation. The settlement amount did not exceed the size of this reserve and will be paid over a multi-year period determined by the court.

BD believes this agreement is in the best interests of all parties and is designed to address all possible issues, the company said.[1]

2022: Becton Dickinson to pay $4.8 million to patient who installed defective mesh to treat hernia

At the end of August 2022, it became known that the C.R. Bard division of Becton Dickinson agreed to pay $4.8 million in a lawsuit related to its hernia nets. The complaint was filed in court by the American, who said he had serious complications after implanting a hernial mesh. Read more here.

2020: Becton Dickinson to pay $60m to sell defective vaginal implants

At the end of September 2020, it became known that Becton Dickinson will pay $60 million for the sale of defective vaginal implants to a subsidiary of C.R. Bard. The implants were intended to treat weakened muscles and pelvic floor ligaments, but caused thousands of lawsuits.

Affected women reported a variety of adverse events, including pain, excessive bleeding, and sexual dysfunction. By the end of 2016, C.R. Bard stopped selling vaginal implants in the United States, and in 2017 Becton Dickinson acquired C.R. Bard for $24 billion, receiving many lawsuits with it. However, regulators only completely banned the production and sale of defective implants in 2019.

Becton Dickinson to pay $60m to sell defective vaginal implants

Women should be confident that the medical devices they provide are safe, "said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. - By misleading patients and neglecting to disclose the risks or side effects of medical devices, the company behaves irresponsibly. This can lead to serious consequences up to deaths. C.R. Bard was caught doing shameful things and must now pay the victims for the damage it caused.

In doing so, C.R. Bard and Becton Dickinson deny all charges included in the lawsuit and believe they did not violate the law. They decided to settle the matter to "avoid the monetary and time cost of further litigation."

The investigation into the activities of C.R. Bard in connection with the alleged fraud was carried out by employees of the judicial system in California and Washington, but later Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas also joined them. Overall, Becton Dickinson must compensate the 48 state government.^[2]

2019: C.R. Bard hernia implant kills woman, but company escapes punishment

In late January 2019, C.R. Bard and its subsidiary Davol won the trial of a woman who died a year after implanting a Bard surgical mesh for a hernia treatment.

A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Southern District of Indiana found that Georgia Bowersock's heirs failed to prove the guilt of the Bard surgical mesh in the development of the abdominal abscess that led to Bowersock's death in 2006.

Bard surgical mesh for hernia

The Bard surgical mesh consists of two parts surrounding a flexible plastic ring. Bard recalled several versions of the surgical mesh in late 2005 and early 2006 following reports that the plastic ring sometimes broke, exposing a sharp edge that could lead to perforation of the intestines. In other cases, the surgical mesh was bent and deformed so that the internal organs of the patient were in contact with the adhesive.

Bowersock's heirs appealed the decision of US District Court Judge Larry McKinney, who rejected expert testimony from Bowersock. One of the experts claimed that the ring curved, forming a rigid edge that imperceptibly perforated internal organs. Another expert, a professor of medical engineering, revealed that ring prolapse is capable of causing intestinal damage, but admitted that he had never seen a Bowersock surgical mesh and could not assert for sure what exactly happened. The judge considered the evidence insufficient.

The Bowersock heirs appealed, but Court of Appeal Judge Diana Sykes agreed with the predecessor's decision and found that the Bowersock mesh did not contact the intestines and did not result in perforation with the sharp edge of the broken ring, unlike the defective nets of other patients. Sykes pointed out that the expert data is not consistent with Georgia Bowersock's medical records or autopsy data.^[3]

2017: Becton Dickinson buys Bard for $24bn

On April 23, 2017, American medical technology manufacturer Becton Dickinson announced the purchase of Bard for $24 billion. The acquisition will be paid from the buyer's own funds, as well as his shares.

Per Bard share, the transaction value is $317, which is 25% more than the value of the company's securities by the close of the exchange on April 21, 2017. Under the terms of the agreement, Bard shareholders will receive $222.93 in cash from Becton Dickinson and 0.5077 Becton Dickinson shares for each Bard share. As a result, shareholders will transfer approximately 15% of the shares of the combined company.

Bard Technology Center

By absorbing Bard, the company will be able to focus even more on developing solutions for non-diabetes diseases, including peripheral vascular disease, urological disease, hernia and cancer, according to Becton Dickinson's statement.

We will be able to cooperate with medical institutions in fundamental processes in a way that no one else does, "said Becton Dickinson CEO Vincent Forlenza.

In addition, Becton Dickinson expects that the deal will increase the company's growth opportunities outside the United States (for example, in China) and increase profits in fiscal year 2019. Becton Dickinson and Bard's merger is expected to deliver annual savings of about $300 million by 2020.^[4]

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