Endo International PLC recently announced that it has reached settlement agreements with more than 350 vaginal mesh lawsuits. This announcement came in April 2015, when the company informed the federal judge overseeing the vaginal mesh litigation process that its subsidiary, American Medical Systems Inc. (AMS), had settled hundreds of vaginal mesh complications allegations.

The vaginal mesh settlement news was delivered to U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin, with Endo stating that it had reached a compromise and settled more than 360 vaginal mesh lawsuits in 12 joint dismissal motions, with 30 of these vaginal mesh cases alleging claims against other mesh companies including: Boston Scientific Corp. and C.R. Bard Inc. These cases were transferred to their respective multidistrict litigations (MDLs).

Previously in September 2014, Endo announced that it had reached master settlements with a number of vaginal mesh plaintiffs, which resolved a significant amount of claims without the company admitting no wrongdoing.

The announcement came just a day after the FDA’s released its own statement of two proposed orders that would reclassify vaginal mesh products as high-risk devices if used for repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The FDA also proposed that all vaginal mesh manufacturers apply for pre-market approval for the mesh products so the agency can better evaluate them.

These two orders are meant to address the numerous health risks associated with vaginal mesh, which are primarily used to treat the weakened internal pelvic bones or muscles in women.

Overview of Vaginal Mesh Allegations

These vaginal mesh settlements allowed the company to claim no responsibility of liability or fault, despite the numerous amount of plaintiffs stating otherwise. Each of the plaintiffs involved in Endo vaginal mesh litigation similarly claim that Endo’s vaginal mesh products caused them to suffer a number of severe complications, including mesh erosion, mesh tearing, infection, and organ perforation.

In minor cases, topical estrogen can be used to treat small areas of mesh erosion, but most cases in these vaginal mesh lawsuits are not that simple. Most of the women who filed legal action had required mesh surgery to mend the damages to their bladder, urethra, or vagina.

It is important to note that mesh revision surgery is more intense and higher risk than the initial implantation procedure.

Endo’s recent vaginal mesh settlement announcement did not disclose the value of the agreement, but the company did previously state that $830 million was set aside as needed to settle a number of AMS vaginal mesh lawsuits.

Additionally, in April 2014, Endo announced settlement agreements had been reached with several law firms representing vaginal mesh plaintiffs. This settlement resolved around 20,000 claims in the ongoing litigation, with the company predicting that it would cost at least $520 million to settle the product liability charges the company is facing over vaginal mesh complications.

Even earlier in June 2013, Endo agreed to pay $54.5 million to settle an unspecified amount of additional vaginal mesh lawsuits.

After the most recent development in the Endo vaginal mesh litigation, the company’s officials state that these settlements would allow the company to grow unhindered from the intense legal pressures. Furthermore, officials state that with the AMS vaginal mesh litigation finally coming to an end-point, the company can start focusing on improving their operations and maximizing profitability.

The Vaginal Mesh Multidistrict Litigation is In re: American Medical Systems Inc. Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 2:12-md-02325, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.