A California judge found Johnson & Johnson guilty for deceptive sales practices and injuries linked to their Ethicon pelvic mesh products. Prosecutors stated J&J’s mesh products endangered women, resulting in the multimillion damages award.

The suit, originally brought forward in May 2016, addressed a years-long investigation that Johnson & Johnson failed to inform both patients and doctors that their pelvic mesh products were linked to severe complications. The suit also alleged J&J misrepresented themselves by providing inaccurate information about the frequency and severity of health risks tied to the pelvic mesh products.

The California Department of Justice represented the people of California against the infamous medical device company in the pelvic mesh trial, which lasted nine weeks the summer of 2019. The final judgement was handed down by San Diego Superior Court Judge Eddie Sturgeon, issuing that J&J needed to pay $343.99 million in penalties.

Announced last week, the judgement was secured in the California Superior Court by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Becerra indicated that Johnson & Johnson knew of the risks their mesh products put women in but valued their profits over the wellbeing of millions of women.

“Johnson & Johnson intentionally concealed the risks of its pelvic mesh implant devices,” Attorney General Becerra said in a press release. “It robbed women and their doctors of their ability to make informed decisions about whether to permanently implant the products in patients’ bodies.”

To read the full press release, click here.

Pelvic Mesh Lawsuits

Over the last few years, complaints have linked the design of Johnson & Johnson pelvic mesh products to severe injuries in patients with these meshes. Women receiving pelvic meshes for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse have suffered painful and debilitating injuries including but not limited to the following:

• Infections
• Erosion of mesh into vagina
• Organ perforation

According to the press release, between 2008 and 2014 Johnson & Johnson sold more than 30,000 pelvic mesh products in California alone. But, worldwide, there could be over 2 million women who had dangerously defective mesh products implanted in their bodies.