The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) company over their possible knowledge that their uterine surgery device, the laparoscopic power morcellator, used in procedures for hysterectomies and removing fibroids in minimally invasive surgeries with faster recovery times, may have been spreading rare and malignant cancers in patients.
Although the reports do not indicate how far the FBI is into the investigation, as early as last year, J&J already started pulling the devices off the market and requesting doctors who were using it to return the devices.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, three people have already been interviewed in relation to the investigation, but J&J has yet to be contacted and have also denied any knowledge of the investigation.
Allegations against J&J infer that the company knew of the risks associated with its laparoscopic tool already back in 2006. The power morcellator apparently had a high chance of spreading uterine cancer in patients who underwent surgery using the device.
The tool grinds fibroid tissues in the uterus and removes them via a vacuum and a small opening. The same tool is also used for hysterectomy procedures, removing the tissue in the same tube which require less recovery times than traditional procedures.
However, cancerous fibroid tissues left undetected also spread during the procedure can result in more aggressive and even fatal from of sarcoma.
According to Sean Tracey, a personal injury and product defect attorney from the law firm Tracey & Fox, the news of the investigation against J&J is welcome and has been a long time coming.
"If the FBI's investigation concludes that J&J knew about these serious risks posed by its own product, and chose to ignore those risks from 2006 until April 2014, it will be crushing to those families to know that their situation could have been avoided. They deserve justice," he said.
Tracey & Fox represents many victims and families who claim that their uterine cancer was caused by use of J&J's power morcellator.
Photo: Sadasiv Swain | Flickr
