Vaginal Mesh Makers Reportedly in Settlement Talks

According to a report from Bloomberg News, five manufacturers of vaginal-mesh implants are in negotiations to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits. Read the Bloomberg Report

The companies – including C.W. Bard, Endo Health Systems Inc., Boston Scientific Corp,  Coloplast and Cook Medical – are reportedly in talks to settle lawsuits over their products, which allegedly caused debilitating injuries for many women.

The Food and Drug Administration has received thousands of complaints of complications related to transvaginal mesh – surgical devices used to repair pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Transvaginal mesh is a net like device typically made of porous absorbable or non-absorbable synthetic material or absorbable biologic material. The term “transvaginal” means through the vagina – and refers to the surgery used to implant the mesh. Transvaginal Mesh Products

Typically, surgical mesh is implanted to reinforce the weakened vaginal wall –to repair pelvic organ prolapse or to support the urethra to treat urinary incontinence. Unfortunately, over time, erosion or contraction of the mesh can result in serious injuries and complications.

The discussions are focused on resolving more than 30,000 implant suits already filed that have been consolidated for pre-trial information exchanges. The Boston Globe Report on Mesh Suits The federal vaginal mesh litigation is centralized for pretrial proceedings in the Southern District of West Virginia.

As more join the settlement, the total number of suits could soar to over 50,000.