The consolidated multidistrict litigation against Ethicon and its parent company Johnson & Johnson over their vaginal mesh products has dramatically increased as over 60 vaginal mesh lawsuits have been transferred into the pending litigation over vaginal mesh complications.

The transfer order was approved on Oct. 13, mandating that 59 vaginal mesh lawsuits filed in the Central District of California, one vaginal mesh lawsuit from the Eastern District of Kentucky, and two vaginal mesh lawsuit from the Northern District of Texas join tens of thousands of lawsuits in the Ethicon Transvaginal Mesh MDL 2327 ongoing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

Plaintiffs in the Central District of California and Northern District of Texas argued against the inclusion, claiming they will not benefit from the transfer action as the Ethicon Transvaginal Mesh MDL is too advanced.

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) disagreed, stating that the plaintiffs have not demonstrated that the transfer would not promote the “just and efficient conduct of the litigation.”

The panel ordered the transfer after considering all arguments, finding that the vaginal mesh lawsuits involve common questions of fact and will ultimately serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses.

Vaginal Mesh Complications

Vaginal Mesh products are medical devices that are surgically implanted to treat pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence. Mesh surgery is supposed to create extra support, strengthening the internal organs and preventing them from coming into contact with each other.

However, documented problems with vaginal mesh or bladder sling systems have caused thousands of women throughout the United States to suffer severe injuries after vaginal mesh surgery.

Not only do these vaginal mesh products pose a risk of serious complications, there is no evidence that transvaginal insertion of a bladder sling or vaginal mesh device provides any benefit over other available treatments for pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence.

In recent years, the FDA has received reports of thousands of problems with Ethicon’s vaginal mesh systems, as well as reports of injuries stemming from pelvic mesh devices made by other companies. Many women are now pursuing vaginal mesh lawsuits after experiencing painful vaginal mesh complications from Ethicon mesh devices.

Ethicon Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits

Nearly 100,000 individual vaginal mesh lawsuits have been filed against various mesh manufacturers in the United States as a result of these alleged vaginal mesh injuries.

The transvaginal mesh lawsuits allege that the manufacturers sold defective and unreasonably dangerous products, in addition to withholding information from consumers and the medical community about the risk that the vaginal mesh may erode through the vagina, causing infections and other injuries.

The Ethicon Transvaginal Mesh MDL is In re: Ethicon Inc. Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2327, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.