277 surgeries performed due to faulty J&J hip implants: Minister

A total of 277 revision surgeries have been performed due to the faulty ASR hip implants manufactured by DePuy International Ltd, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey told the Rajya Sabha Tuesday.

The minister was replying to a question on whether faulty hip implants had resulted in deaths and disability of several patients.

"As per the information available with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), 277 revision surgeries were undertaken because of disability due to faulty Articular Surface Replacement (ASR) hip implants manufactured by M/s DePuy International Limited, UK, (now M/s Johnson & Johnson Pvt Ltd)," Choubey said in his reply.

He said the government had set up a panel to examine issues relating to the faulty hip implants. The committee, after a detailed examination of the issue, submitted its report to the government, which accepted the recommendations with some modifications.

Based on the accepted recommendations, the government constituted a central expert committee under the chairmanship of Sports Injury Centre Director RK Arya inter-alia to determine the quantum of compensation, Choubey said.

The Health Ministry has also requested all the states/UTs to form state-level committees to examine the affected patients within their jurisdiction so that the process is less arduous for them.

"A formula for determining compensation for the affected patients has also been formulated and placed in public domain. The affected patients can approach either the central expert committee or state-level committee as per their convenience," Choubey said.

Responding to a question on whether the government was aware that the hip implants of the same manufacturer were recalled in the United States due to its faulty equipments and if so, the reasons it was allowed to market the product in India, Choubey said the product was recalled in the US in August 2010.

In India, the firm recalled it on August 24, 2010 and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) acknowledged their recall and no further import of the product was allowed, he said.