U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, presiding over the Bard Hernia mesh multidistrict litigation, issued a case management order on August 19, setting the new trial dates for May 8, July 13, and September 14 of 2020. This retracts the prior order issued last week, with trial dates as July 13, September 14, and November 9 of 2020.
Each of the lawsuits raises similar allegations that problems with polypropylene mesh used in Bard hernia repair products were defective and dangerous, creating a risk of painful and debilitating complications where the mesh may fail and require individuals to undergo additional surgery to remove the patch from their body.
There was an increase in the sale of hernia mesh after the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved it in the year 2010. The mesh used for repairing hernia was promoted as a physiologically well-designed device, offering strong and comfortable healing and giving an exceptional intraoperative handling benefit.
In the United States, hernia mesh is used in 9 out of 10 hernia surgeries annually. The U.S. FDA had earlier approved this device, stating that the device can help patients to recover in less time after surgery compared to other treatment options. However, years later this mesh had to be recalled after many complications were reported. Patients after undergoing the surgery using hernia mesh complained of bowel obstruction, adhesion, infection, chronic pain and hernia recurrence.
Currently, C.R Bard faces more than 4,000 lawsuits throughout the federal court system, each involving similar allegations associated with Bard Prefix, Bard Composix, Bard Ventralex, and other polypropylene products sold in recent years.
All federal Bard hernia mesh claims are consolidated under federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2846; In Re: Davol, Inc./C.R. Bard, Inc., Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation) in the Southern District of Ohio.
