Email Shows DePuy Knew of Hip Implant Problems Long Before Recall

In 2010, Johnson & Johnson recalled its DePuy hip implant device out of concerns over high failure rates and potential blood-stream contamination. Now, it appears that the company was well-aware that it was selling a defective hip implant long before the device was recalled.

According to a recently leaked company email, Johnson & Johnson executives were aware that the Food and Drug Administration had refused to approve a substantially similar implant in 2009. The FDA's decision was decision was based on studies showing the device had prematurely failed in a "significant" number of patients.

Despite the FDA's denial, Johnson & Johnson chose to sell that implant device in European markets.

That hip implant was essentially the same as the DePuy hip implants that had been sold in the United States. However, Johnson and Johnson had been able to exploit an FDA loophole that allowed the U.S. model to be sold without first undergoing a safety review.

This revelation comes as heartbreaking news to the thousands of people who have had their lives damaged by defective DePuy implants.

DePuy implants utilized a metal-on-metal system, where both the ball and the socket of the replacement hip joint were manufactured from chromium and cobalt. The product was marketed as being more durable than traditional implants, and was thus marketed to younger patients.

Unfortunately, the opposite turned out to be true. The grinding of metal-on-metal can lead to significant friction that causes patients to experience severe pain and inflammation. In addition, it can release medical particles into the bloodstream, putting patients at risk for disorders including dementia and heart failure.

Patients whose implants fail usually need to undergo invasive and costly revision surgery to correct the problem. Many have reported needing several surgeries to fix the damage caused by the defective product.

If you have been the victim of a defective DePuy hip implant, you need to protect both your physical health and your legal rights.

Work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan to recover from the problems caused by your defective hip. Under the terms of the recall, DePuy is supposed to cover your medical expenses.

You will also want to consult with an attorney who is experienced in defective medical device claims. If your hip implant has indeed malfunctioned, it is likely that