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World Reaction to Hernia Meshes

On Behalf of | Dec 3, 2018 | Defective Products |

Medical device cases can end up causing world-wide legal trouble for companies. That’s what’s been happening with surgical meshes for hernia cases. Hundreds of thousands of victims had these meshes implanted to solve a variety of problems like prolapse and incontinence. However, these meshes are causing more problems than they solve. Further injury, pain, and even infection have been reported.

New Zealand

So how has the world responded to this? Let’s start with New Zealand. They have completely banned the use of surgical mesh for all uses since January of this year. Regulators took action after they reviewed data from Australia about the side effects of meshes. Their opinion is that the risks of using meshes for prolapse and stress incontinence to be far worse than the benefits. However, some doctors have raised concerns about banning the product completely.

Australia

Australia, for its part, has issued a national apology to women affected by vaginal meshes. They have been using these meshes for decades, and their inquiry found that the devices have harmed up to 8,000 women. About 150,000 women have received a mesh implant in the past two decades according to the inquiry. They also noted that many doctors have ignored women coming to them complaining of pain from the surgery. Australia has banned two mesh devices, but some are still allowed to be used.

United Kingdom

In the UK, the problem is much worse. In the past six years, they have used surgical meshes in 570,000 operations. The complication rate is said to be between 12% and 30%. It’s turned into a huge scandal. The National Health Service has been blamed for having inconsistent guidelines for follow up after a mesh implantation. Blame has also been aimed at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which is like the FDA in the United States. They still approve of the meshes as the most effective way to deal with a hernia. But there are now doctors who are specializing in the removal of hernia meshes in the UK due to the side effects.

Canada

Canadian news has reported the stories of some sufferers of hernia mesh surgery. There has been a class action lawsuit in that country over the meshes since last year. The side effects can be quite horrific. Some have even been driven to suicide over the pain.

United States

People in the United States have also been pursuing litigation against the makers of hernia meshes for their false claims and life-long side effects. The failure rate is far too high to justify the benefits of using meshes for these surgeries. Those who have been injured deserve compensation.

 

If you have had a surgical mesh implanted, especially in the abdomen after a hernia or if you have a transvaginal mesh, and you have experienced side effects, it is urgent that you speak with one of our personal injury lawyers. We are helping those who have been injured by surgical mesh pursue compensation. As these news reports reveal, these injuries aren’t rare. It is a worldwide problem and it must be tackled.