Johnson & Johnson to pay $120 million for false advertising
The pharmaceutical and its associate DePuy have been charged in the United States for the sale of a hip replacement that turned out to be defective.
January 23, 2019 – Manufactura
NEW YORK, USA – The American pharmaceutical group Johnson & Johnson has reached an amicable agreement of 120 million dollars with some states of the country, to settle investigations into false advertising of defective hip replacements.
Letitia James, New York State Attorney General, said in a statement that the group and its partner DePuy misled the public about the longevity and purported quality of a prosthesis model.
“We shouldn't allow companies to mislead the public freely and especially when it comes to health issues,” James said.
This agreement is "an important message showing that misleading and deceptive medical practices will not be tolerated," the secretary added.
In addition to medicines and hygiene products, Johnson & Johnson makes health care equipment and is currently the subject of complaints related to its talc in the United States.
Associated with DePuy Inc, Johnson & Johnson marketed hip replacements that were returned when patients complained of severe pain and various complications.
Patients received either the ASR XL acetabular prosthesis or Pinnacle Ultamet between July 2003 and August 2010.
DePuy retired the ASR XL implants in 2010 and discontinued the Pinnacle implant in 2013.
Both companies have already signed agreements with associated plaintiffs and were asked on Monday to continue examining any requests from other interested parties.
