Attorney General Jeff Landry's office has announced that Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon, Inc. will pay states nearly $117 million for their deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices.
More than $2 million is heading to Louisiana.
The settlement announcement follows a multistate investigation by 40 states and the District of Columbia, which found that the companies violated state consumer protection laws by misrepresenting the safety and effectiveness of their devices and by failing to sufficiently disclose risks associated with their use.
"It is imperative that companies operate with transparency and provide consumers with proper informed consent of the risks taken by using their products," said General Landry. "Evidence shows Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon were aware of the possibility for serious medical complications but did not provide sufficient warnings to consumers or surgeons who implanted these devices."
Under the terms of the settlement, Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $116.86 million to the 40 participating states and DC. Louisiana will receive $2,188,730.41 under the settlement.
The settlement also provides injunctive relief, requiring full disclosure of the device's risks and accurate information on promotional material, in addition to the product's "information for use" package inserts.
Read the full statement from AG Landry's office here.
