DePuy Hip Implant Recall Starts in Ireland

by | Sep 6, 2010

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced that 3,516 patients in Ireland made need corrective surgery for faulty hip replacement device made by DePuy Orthopaedics, unit of Johnson & Johnson.  There are nearly 100,000 people worldwide fitted with the device.

However, data from the UK reveals that about one in eight people using the device may have problems, which implies that perhaps about 400 patient may require corrective surgery in Ireland (replacement of the faulty device).

The  specific products affected by the problem are ASR XL Acetabular System and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, both of which are no longer manufactured.

DePuy Orthopaedics has already said it would cover the cost of corrective surgery in any patients affected in Ireland.  However, DePuy Orthopaedics has attached conditions to the offer- providing full medical records and returning the removed faulty hip device (presumably for analysis).

There is still no indication of what type of compensation scheme DePuy Orthopaedics will be offering. Meanwhile, the HSE is also negotiating the issue of medical costs with DePuy Orthopaedics.

Any victim that needs to undergo corrective surgery would be very unwise to sign any sort of legally binding agreement with DuPuy Orthopaedics without first seeking independent legal advice.  It would be unwise to sign an agreement that puts the key medical evidence under the control of DuPuy Orthopaedics prior to any potential compensation litigation.

It should be pointed out that the HSE is clearly not responsible for the faulty products, which it used in good faith.  It is highly unlikely that any court would find any surgeons or HSE-owned hospital guilty of medical negligence.

For more detail, and to read about making DePuy Compensation Claims click here.

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