855.646.4355 | En Español
Democrats Push for Investigation of Hip Implants
Serving Alabama, Mississippi & Florida including Mobile, Pascagoula, Gulfport, Biloxi & Pensacola
Tue, 11/01/2011
Recently, House Democrats and members of the Energy and Commerce Committee requested that Republican leaders investigate the safety of all-metal hip implants. These implants are manufactured by Johnson and Johnson, as well as others. Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Diana DeGette (D-CO), and John Dingell (D-MI) wrote a letter to three top Republicans on the Committee seeking hearings on the regulation of various devices, including hip implants. DePuy Orthopaedic's ASR hip implant was recalled in August of 2010 because of a higher-than-expected early failure rate.
It is believed that metal-on-metal hip implants can shed dangerous amounts of cobalt and chromium through wear and lead to tissue damage, failure of the device and create a need for revision surgery. The letter stated that ".. tiny metal particles may wear off of the device and enter into the space around the implant... [or] even get into the bloodstream."
The Democrats indicated concern that the medical device hearings held thus far by the Committee "have not provided a balanced and accurate picture that fully reflects the role FDA plays in reviewing device applications; nor have they spoken to the potential dangers posed to patients if medical devices are not appropriately regulated."
Lets hope the Committee does in fact hold such hearings, and that they focus on the safety issues which affect the consumers who elected them, instead of spending hearing time looking for ways to protect the medical device industry, who gives them contributions.
- Login to post comments
- Send to friend
- PDF version
