J&J to pay 67 patients Rs 25 lakh compensation each

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that it will pay Rs 25 lakh compensation each to 67 identified patients affected by the company's faulty articular surface replacement (ASR) hip implants.

In his order, Justice Vibhu Bakhru directed Johnson & Johnson to pay compensation to identified patients affected by its faulty hip implants.

J&J has conducted a verification process and identified some of the patients who are eligible to receive compensation.

These 67 were identified out of the total number of 289 claimants who had suffered due to the faulty hip implants.

The company observed that the identified patients had undergone revision surgeries and it has agreed to pay compensation to them.

The company also said that it would pay Rs 25 lakh each to the other patients who had undergone a revision surgery following the hip implants after verifying their claims.

The court was hearing J&J's plea challenging the the formula approved by the Centre for determining the compensation to patients who received faulty hip implants.

The company had sought quashing of the Health Ministry's decision asking the company to pay compensation to patients.

J&J pleaded that the Centre had no jurisdiction under the Drug and Cosmetics Act to enforce the compensation as determined by the expert committee set up to examine faulty hip implants.

--IANS

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