New Haven, CTAs DePuy hip replacement trials draw near, the company has come under fire for paying millions of dollars to doctors across the US, according to a report by the Connecticut Health I-Team (C-HIT; 12/06/10). Following the DePuy hip replacement recall, lawsuits were filed alleging the DePuy hip devices were unreasonably defective and had a higher than normal failure rate. Those lawsuits have now been consolidated in a multi-district litigation.
According to the C-HIT report, DePuy Orthopaedics, maker of the DePuy hip replacement devices, paid more than $80 million to approximately 200 physicians across the US since 2009. Those payments were reportedly made to compensate doctors for "promotion, research and consultation."
Some surgeons were paid more than $1 million in 2010, despite the recall of two of DePuy's hip implant products. Earlier this year, DePuy Orthopaedics announced a recall of the Acetabular ASR XL and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Approximately 93,000 people worldwide received one of the two implants.
It should be noted that there is no evidence that acceptance of the compensation from DePuy resulted in any doctors choosing DePuy products over those of a different company. Physicians who were interviewed for the article said they were paid for legitimate work they did for DePuy, including research and teaching other doctors how to place the implants.
Patients who received the recalled DePuy devices could face revision surgery if their implant fails. Approximately 37,000 patients in the US received a recalled DePuy hip implant, which reportedly has a failure rate of between 12 and 13 percent within five years of implantation. Most hip replacement devices are expected to last approximately 15 years.
The recalled DePuy devices could cause metallosis, a condition in which metal shavings from the metal-on-metal implant detach from the implant and are absorbed by the surrounding tissue. The condition can cause damage to the tissue and can result in failure of the implant. An ABC News report (12/01/10) notes that patients who experience metallosis could be at risk of deafness, dementia and heart failure because of high levels of chromium and cobalt in their tissue.
Following announcement of the recall, lawsuits were filed against DePuy Orthopaedics, alleging its hip implant devices were unreasonably defective and further alleging the company failed to warn physicians about the risks associated with the hip implant products. Those lawsuits have reportedly now been consolidated into a multi-district litigation in Ohio.
If you or a loved one have suffered losses in this case, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a drugs & medical lawyer who may evaluate your DePuy Hip Replacement claim at no cost or obligation.