DePuy Synthes Company, a division of Johnson & Johnson specializing in orthopedic and neurological solutions, confirmed that it is cutting over 200 jobs from its Warsaw office. Financial troubles and recent changes in healthcare legislation have been cited as the driving forces behind the DePuy layoffs. The company claims these market changes have necessitated structural reorganization and cost cutting.

More Problems than DePuy Layoffs
DePuy layoffs have been just one of many concerns for the company in recent years. At the top of the list is the ongoing litigation surrounding DePuy’s metal-on-metal hip replacement products, which the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) allowed to be marketed without clinical trials because the devices were similar in design and function to devices already available for use. This decision certainly played a part in the lawsuits and DePuy layoffs that were to follow.

The DePuy ASR hip replacement system was designed for and marketed to younger users. DePuy claimed that its product allowed for greater flexibility and mobility than traditional hip replacements, permitting younger patients to continue living an active lifestyle. The metal-on-metal product was also purported to resist wearing out from overuse.

Expectations vs. Reality
In practice, the DePuy ASR system did not live up to the company’s lofty claims. The FDA received over hundreds of complaints pertaining to product, and more than one in eight patients reported that the device failed within five years. There have been reports of the component parts of the hip loosening and becoming misaligned. Additionally, a form of metal poisoning called metallosis can occur when the metal ball and metal cup of the device rub together and release metal ions into the bloodstream, causing necrosis, neurological problems, and tissue and muscle damage. 

These unforeseen complications have required many patients to undergo replacement or revision surgeries to correct the problems caused by these metal-on-metal hip replacements. These additional surgeries can add to medical costs that were already high from the original procedure, as well as longer recovery times.

The DePuy ASR and its host of problems have resulted in thousands of lawsuits against the company, the first of which was filed in the United States in 2010. This was followed in 2011 by a massive class action lawsuit in Australia. DePuy remains in a precarious legal position, not only for producing and mass marketing such a dangerous and defective product, but also for failing to issue a prompt recall despite having knowledge of the product’s dangers. This is at the very least one of the indirect causes of the DePuy layoffs in Warsaw.

Contact the American Injury Attorney Group Today
If you or a loved one were injured by your DePuy ASR hip replacement device, or if you would like more information about the DePuy layoffs, contact the American Injury Attorney Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation of your case. If you have a claim, the American Injury Attorney Group can connect you with an affiliated lawyer who can file a lawsuit and guide you through the legal process. Call today to be informed of your legal options.

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