Panel to decide compensation for faulty hip implants patients holds first meeting

The central expert committee formed by the Health Ministry to decide compensation for patients affected by faulty hip implants of Johnson and Johnson held its first meeting on Tuesday.

An expert panel, constituted earlier by the ministry to investigate complaints about faulty articular surface replacement (ASR) hip implant devices, said in its report that the pharma giant "suppressed" facts on the harm of surgeries afterwards which was conducted on patients in India using the "faulty" systems.

The Centre constituted the five-member expert committee to determine the quantum of compensation to be given to patients who have "faulty" hip implants, manufactured by DePuy International, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson.

According to sources in the ministry, the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee was discussed in the meeting.

The committee is now scheduled to meet next week, sources said.

The new five-member central committee is being chaired by R K Arya, director, Sports Injury Centre, Safdurjung Hospital.

Others in the committee include C S Yadav, department of Orthopaedics, AIIMS in New Delhi, Vineet Sharma, Head of Department of Orthopaedics, King George's Medical University in Lucknow, Bikas Medhi, professor pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and Bhushan Tilak Kaul, professor of law in the Delhi University.