Australian Class Action against Johnson & Johnson... - PMRGCAuk

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Australian Class Action against Johnson & Johnson re Vaginal mesh has been 'successful'

Rimmy profile image
15 Replies

Because I know this will be of some interest to a few members of this forum I am posting this link here about the SUCCESSFUL class action of some Australian women against Johnson & Johnson for vaginal mesh implant 'disasters'. I hope the Moderators regard this as a reasonable place for this post due both to past interest and discussions here and for its general ramifications about how many women are often (mis)treated or disregarded as 'reliable sources of 'truth' about (even) themselves !!

theguardian.com/australia-n...

One of WORST things is - as it states in this Guardian article:

'When patients [all women of course] complained of pain, they were frequently disbelieved' [and] 'left in severe, debilitating and chronic pain'.

But the corporate greed apparently superseded everything as it also says:

'companies viewed the “commercial opportunities” of the devices and were “keen to exploit them before their competitors beat them to it”. ... [

so that] The testing of the products both before and after their release to market was “deficient”

Given the seriousness of the health and well-being consequences for so many women - as described in this article - we might ALSO be wondering WHEN all this nonsense about 'disbelieving' women [in particular] is going to end !!?? As often reflected upon here too many of us have experienced these unmistakably archaic misogynist attitudes from many medicos we have had to engage with. I am pleased for these women but worried however that Johnson & Johnson will 'appeal' and drag it all out further - after all $$$$ seems to always 'trump' everything else in the end.

Best wishes

Rimmy

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Rimmy profile image
Rimmy
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15 Replies
CT-5012 profile image
CT-5012

Thank you for that, really pleased for these ladies and all of those who are suffering as a result of J&J not testing new stuff properly and all those who have dismissed their complaints. I’m sure they will appeal, their lawyers and insurers will insist.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

Thank you Rimmy. Haven't had time to look at the Guardian this morning! Will now :)

I think it is perfectly reasonable to be posted here - we have at least one lady whose PMR is almost certainly due to mesh. And it is also more about the dissing women in particular that I posted about the other day and which I think almost all of us have experienced.

Portobello profile image
Portobello in reply toPMRpro

Yes, and some of us who have PMR also have a prolapse currently helped with a pessary ring but who may need additional help as symptoms deteriorate. We are very grateful for any update. So thank you

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

Well done Australia! I am only beginning to realise what real gender equality looks like and how institutionalised gender inequality is. This is in spite of 15 years working towards equality within the workplace.

I hope the right people on here see this and are encouraged by it. It has been suggested that it can be a trigger for PMR. Thanks for posting Rimmy - it makes me so angry, this dismissal of women in medicine.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toSheffieldJane

Not just medicine SJ - and it isn't that much better now in some fields than it was when I started work nearly 40 years ago.

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane in reply toPMRpro

Don’t get me started. I have supported countless victims of rape in the Law Courts - just one example.

I can't lay my hands on it at the moment but a man in USA who took a drug that made his breasts grow, but was not warned about it as a side effect, was awarded 6 or 8 Billion dollars according to the news. Obviously it will be barted down. Women who were part of the mesh case there were awarded, on average 70k$. As I say I can't lay my hands on the article at the moment so hope I have it right.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to

forbes.com/sites/rachelsand...

Yes, $8 Billion, or $8 thousand million (?) if you're in the UK.

in reply toHeronNS

Thanks heron. I am glad I didn't dream it!

Johnson and Johnson under fire.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply to

I honestly thought you'd meant to write "million". I think a settlement in the billions for one individual is, no matter the circumstances, ridiculous. But it sure puts into perspective the possible relatively miniscule settlement for thousands of women who suffer neverending issues and pain.

in reply toHeronNS

No. It was shocking when I read it the first time I had to keep looking. I suspect they will agreed on a million or two plus surgery charges. I typed billions in capitals but my phone autocorrected. Its extraordinary.

Yellowbluebell profile image
Yellowbluebell in reply to

You have! I wouldnt mind bigger boobs for a billion dolllar pay out!! My husband would probably queue up!!

Thanks for posting Rimmy! I honesty don't know why I am shocked by this, it's been happening for decades.... it makes me both angry and sad.

Pipalina profile image
Pipalina

Hello Rimmy - yes, the judgement is very good news indeed for the Mesh Injured Australian women but as you say J&J will no doubt appeal and drag the process out as long as possible.

Some of the complications and injuries that women have experienced read like a horror story added to which their suffering was dismissed and diminshed by many of the implanting surgeons.

I saw my long time Endo last week and once again we discussed the impact such a "simple quick-fix" surgical procedure in 2016 has had upon my life. He is in no doubt that I had an autoimmune reaction to the polyproylene mesh namely a - systemic inflammatory response. And, that this was and is the trigger for my PMR.

Removal is not an option in my case - too dangerous (unlesss the mesh erodes and damages an organ at some point) and no guarantee that my AI issues would resolves themselves.

So, best I can do is manage the PMR and hope it might settle down at some time in the future but I'm not betting on it!

Hope you are keeping welll yourself...

Kathy x

Rimmy profile image
Rimmy in reply toPipalina

Hi Kathy - thanks for sharing this information about your experience - which is terrible. It makes me incredulous to think that they cannot reverse this operation and remove the source of your inflammation and pain. We are all on your side here as you would know and hope as well that one day your PMR resolves - whatever it takes. Thanks I am doing quite well and have little to complain about by comparison....

Best wishes

Rimmy X

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