Punjab to aid of ‘faulty’ hip implant patients

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 15

With no data on implant patients, the Punjab Government has constituted a five-member committee to approach victims of “faulty” hip implants manufactured by DePuy International, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson (J&J), and send their cases to a Central committee to determine the quantum of compensation.

The Punjab panel comprises heads of orthopaedics departments at Amritsar and Patiala government medical colleges, radiology department head at the Patiala college, National Deputy Drug Controller BK Samantray and Joint Drug Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Mattu.

Applications for compensation can be sent to these members. 

Meanwhile, in a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, more than 30 victims threatened to boycott the exercise if their concerns were not addressed. They said they were distressed to see the government continuing consultation with J&J while patients who had suffered injuries had not been consulted even once.

Earlier, a panel looking into complaints of alleged faulty implants had recommended that DePuy be made liable to pay at least Rs 20 lakh to each affected patient. (With PTI inputs)

Those eligible...

• Patients implanted with ASR (Articular Surface Replacement), no revision surgery performed or recommended
• Patients who have developed/not developed disability following one (or multiple) revision surgery
• Those suffering with any other systemic disorder; first implant surgery in India in or after 2006