A federal court in
More than 1,000 women registered to take part in the class action beginning in
The verdict means those harmed could be compensated, but that amount will not be finalized until next year,
Three women who led the class action were heard from in federal court, including
The vaginal mesh devices were implanted to treat pelvic prolapse, urinary incontinence or other complications of child birth, but women said they suffered emotionally, mentally and physically with severe, debilitating and chronic pain, and have been unable to have intercourse.
In many cases, the mesh eroded internally, causing infections, multiple complications, and was nearly impossible to completely remove, testimony showed.
Defendants had suggested that complications were rare, but Justice
"I was satisfied that a number of the pleaded complications are not uncommon, and some in fact are common," she said.
The judge said that the company and its product development arm Ethicon were "negligent," downplaying the risks of the product, which was not tested properly, while rushing the product to market.
"The devices were not tested properly and those selling them knew they did not have sufficient data to show they were safe," Katzmann said.
One of the claimants,
Ethicon defended its practices, saying in a statement, "Ethicon believes that the company acted ethically and responsibly in the research, development and supply of these products."
Around 8,000 women in
Last month,
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