Last updated on March 26th, 2024 at 03:29 am
Johnson & Johnson is one of the world’s most well-known and successful companies. However, it has faced many lawsuits and even criminal charges over the years. In this article, we’ll be discussing some of these lawsuits as well as some reasons why these lawsuits were brought against them.
Table of Contents
An Overview of Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational company that produces medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products. The company was founded in 1886 by Robert Wood Johnson I and his two brothers. It was named after his son John Seward Johnson I, a business co-founder.
It has been publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange since September 24th, 1944. Robert Wood’s father, Charles Clifton Johnson, had previously established himself as a successful dry goods merchant who also ran a general store in Morristown, New Jersey.
The company started out producing herbal medicines such as calamine lotion using traditional recipes known by Native Americans to treat skin rashes caused by poison ivy or thistles. As the years progressed, they began making new products like baby powder and toothpaste, which became very popular because they were less expensive than imported brands from Europe.
Today, Johnson & Johnson operates across 60 countries. Moreover, its subsidiaries and its products are sold across 175 countries worldwide. It also created a Covid-19 vaccine, the third in the USA to get approval from the FDA.
Tylenol ADHD Lawsuits
The Tylenol ADHD Lawsuits are the most recent event in this list of lawsuits. In addition to the unknown number of children exposed to Tylenol and its effects, the company has been accused of hiding this information from consumers by not putting warnings on labels and ads.
The Tylenol lawsuits refer to one of its most popular products Tylenol, a painkiller with acetaminophen as its primary ingredient. This started in 2018 when a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology concluded that infants in the mother’s womb exposed to acetaminophen through the mother are at a higher risk of developing autism and ADHD.
Thus, if you are a mother who was taking Tylenol during pregnancy and your child has developed ADHD or autism, you can file a lawsuit against J&J. The Tylenol ADHD Lawsuit is still ongoing, and you can file a claim with the help of an experienced attorney.
Metal Hips Lawsuits
In 2010, Johnson & Johnson recalled metal-on-metal hip implants made with the DePuy Orthopaedics brand. These implants were used in more than 100,000 people. Of these, many people filed a lawsuit against J&J.
The recall came after many patients experienced infections and other health problems stemming from the metal parts rubbing together and breaking down over time. The lawsuit against J&J was settled, and the company paid around $1 billion in compensation to settle the lawsuit.
Ethicon Physiomesh
Johnson & Johnson is facing lawsuits over Ethicon Physiomesh. It is a surgical mesh used to comfort hernia. The company recalled the product in 2016 after several reports of serious complications arose. The mesh was designed to help people after hernia operations. However, the recurrence of hernia after using Physiomesh was comparatively higher.
Hence, the company withdrew all the products from the market. After the withdrawal, 16 people filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer. In 2017, a federal panel combined those 16 Physiomesh lawsuits.
Pradaxa and Xarelto Lawsuits
Johnson & Johnson’s blood thinner Pradaxa was originally approved by the FDA in 2010. However, it came with a warning stating that patients taking the drug had an increased risk of bleeding and death compared to those taking warfarin. In 2012, the FDA required additional labeling changes that expanded on these risks. They also recommended routine monitoring of INR levels in patients using Pradaxa.
In late 2013, Johnson & Johnson announced plans to voluntarily withdraw Pradaxa in Europe after reports showed that severe bleeding occurred far more frequently among people who used this drug than those who took warfarin.
Xarelto is another blood thinner that leads to internal bleeding, wound leakage, and infections. Xarelto users sued Bayer and J&J for the problems they faced. Although the manufacturers won the first six trials, they agreed to settle thousands of lawsuits for $775 million.
Johnson’s Talcum Powder Lawsuits
This lawsuit dates back to 2009 when the first woman filed it against J&J, claiming that using their products had caused ovarian cancer. The plaintiff won, and this case established the use of talc as one of the causes of ovarian cancer.
J&J created a subsidiary and transferred the claims to it. Later, the company filed for bankruptcy. However, the women won the case, and around 22 women were awarded over $2 billion in compensation.
Pinnacle Acetabular Cup Lawsuits
The Pinnacle Acetabular Cup was a hip replacement device developed by Johnson & Johnson. It was designed to provide stability and support for the hip joint, which can be damaged during artificial joint replacement surgery.
The lawsuit alleges that the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup was recalled in 2013 because it had a higher risk of breaking than other implants. The plaintiffs assert that this defect caused them to suffer severe injuries and damage to the cartilage surrounding their hips.
They claim that they were not properly informed about these risks before surgery with this implantation device, so they could not give fully informed consent when agreeing to it being implanted into their bodies during surgery.
Some additional claims are being made as well. Some people allege that they were never told about an earlier recall from 2006 after reports of problems started coming in from patients who received this particular device. Others say that their doctors did not advise them about all possible complications until after the fact. Still, others say there was no need for any recall because no problems have been reported or documented.
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Conclusion
Though some people may be surprised by these lawsuits, we think the real story is how Johnson & Johnson handled them. The company has shown a willingness to work with plaintiffs’ attorneys and settle cases when they’re in the best interest of their customers. We hope this trend continues as more cases are brought against J&J over concerns about their products.
