Thread by @sbowers00

#ImplantFiles update: I missed this yesterday... CR Bard, one of the biggest manufacturers of vaginal mesh, is "voluntarily removing" mesh products, including Avaulta & Align, from European markets (h/t @MeshCampaign) 1/6
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c7fef30…

In its statement, Bard (now part of @BDandCo) refers to a “product removal”. Says it's “initiating a cease in production & distribution …with immediate effect”. Does not use the word “recall”. 👇

Also says “This product removal has not resulted from any safety concerns” 2/6

Bard removed Avaulta mesh products from the U.S. market in 2012 after the FDA ordered the company, and other mesh manufacturers, to conduct additional clinical studies (see extract from @WSJ report from the time 👇). In 2016, Align was withdrawn in the U.S. 3/6

Since 2012, Bard has faced a deluge of U.S. lawsuits from women claiming to be left in chronic agony by mesh products. In one test case, the firm was ordered to pay $68m in damages to Mary McGinnis & her husband. 4/6 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Bard has said it will appeal the McGinnis decision. But, at the same time, it has spent hundreds of millions of dollars settling thousands of U.S. mesh claims brought by other women. And there are thousands more U.S. claims still to be resolved. 5/6

Meanwhile, damages in Europe are MUCH harder to come by for women suffering the same plight.
Meet Kate Kristmundsson, from Denmark 👇
Read below about her case as reported by @ICIJorg’s media partners at @drdokumentar (h/t @SorenK_DR) 6/6
dr.dk/nyheder/indlan…