Pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence are common complications suffered in childbirth. One common treatment for these complications is the implantation of vaginal mesh. Unfortunately, for some women, the implantation of the mesh led to even more complications, leaving them unable to have sex and experiencing debilitating pain.
Now, a court in Australia is determining whether or not Johnson and Johnson, a manufacturer of vaginal mesh was aware of the potential complications it may cause before launching them on the Australian market. The Guardian reports on the issue.
Over the past six months, an Australian court has listened to claims that Johnson & Johnson, a manufacturer of vaginal mesh knew of the dangers or at least failed to appropriately test their mesh devices before releasing them in the Australian market.
On Monday, litigants in the class action civil case won the right to add a new allegation to that class action lawsuit. The allegation is that Johnson & Johnson was aware that their mesh devices presented a specific risk to women with compromised immune systems.
Kathryn Gill, who suffers from psoriasis, was not made aware of the indications that the mesh implants could cause problems in those that were immunocompromised. She says that if she were, she would not have elected to have the procedure. The warnings did not begin until after her surgery.
A 1997 report stating that in people who have compromised immune systems, mesh implants may not integrate well with their tissue. Mesh implants were not sold in Australia until after 1997.
Johnson and Johnson opposed the addition of the immune system complaint to the pending litigation.
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