 "SC accepts govt response on compensation for J&J hip implant victims")
The Supreme Court on Friday accepted the government’s response on the compensation formula it had arrived at for victims of faulty hip implants manufactured by Johnson & Johnson (J&J). The top court also asked the central government to give wide publicity to the scheme so that the victims could come and claim compensation.
Disposing off the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the case, a two-judge bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul considered the response filed by the Health Ministry and said that steps had been taken to provide compensation to the victims.
A PIL filed in the top court had alleged that "faulty" and "deadly" hip implants have been fitted into the bodies of 4,525 Indian patients who had undergone replacement surgeries since 2005. Though J&J requested to record in the order that disposal of the PIL would not prejudice its case going on in the Delhi High Court, top court refused to do so and closed the PIL.
Earlier on December 13 last year, the Delhi High Court had refused to hear J&J's plea challenging the government notification asking them to pay compensation to patients affected by faulty hip implants and deferred the matter to February 26, 2019. A single-judge Bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru had then said that the company’s plea was “neither important nor urgent” and hence would not be heard immediately.
In 2017, the Centre had set up a committee led by Arun Aggarwal to look after patients’ problems caused by faulty hip implants produced and distributed by Johnson & Johnson India and DePuy Orthopaedics INC collectively. DePuy Orthopaedics Inc is a fully-owned arm of J&J. The committee, which submitted its report in August 2018, had found J&J guilty of concealing information and said that the company should continue the compensation program till August 2025 so that all patients were duly reimbursed. It had suggested that the victims be provided compensation between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 1.22 crore.
One subscription. Two world-class reads.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%