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MAM rally in Charleston WV
Mesh News Desk, June 2, 2015 ~ A rally by mesh-injured women gathered in Charleston, West Virginia today as lawyers from both sides of the issue converged for a status conference before the judge overseeing more than 76,000 defective product cases.
Mesh Awareness Movement brought about 20 women, their husbands and friends from Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and beyond to join in solidarity and send a message that pelvic mesh should not be allowed to continue to injure unsuspecting women and that mesh manufacturers need to financially care for the women they've harmed.
Pelvic mesh, used to shore up pelvic organs, was never approved for safety or efficacy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Instead it was approved by the FDA 510(k) approval process that does not require any clinical trials.
Husband protests
Beginning in the late 1990's, pelvic mesh was fashioned from hernia mesh and the polypropylene was marketed by seven manufacturers who are facing defective product lawsuits consolidated in this federal court. There are more than 76,000 cases here before The Honorable Judge Joseph Goodwin. Manufacturers are facing more than 100,000 cases nationwide.
Campaigner in WV
"Exciting" is what women told Mesh News Desk today. All of the television stations were here and we will be featured on their noon news. Finally we are getting the attention we deserve and the message is getting out," said organizer Lisa Mason.
Plaintiffs' lawyers filing into Charleston court.
The women tell MND that lawyers representing plaintiffs fave a thumbs up as they filed into the building for a status conference called by Judge Goodwin who wants these cases settled. Lawyers for manufacturers gave a thumbs down to the crowd which numbered around 20. One woman had her surgery scheduled for today but opted to be in Charleston instead.
Here are some of the images from today.
Catch the news coverage on the local ABC and CBS television stations in Charleston, WV.
Background
Pelvic mesh, made of polypropylene, is still used by many doctors as a first line treatment to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) though it is falling out of favor, doctors tell MND, because many doctors are being sued for medical malpractice. The FDA in 2012 said complications from mesh are "not rare" after a five fold increase in adverse event reports to the agency.
In trials conducted so far, the failure to adequately inform the doctor about the risks of mesh have seen the doctor side with the plaintiff. Many meshes have been found to be defectively designed and the risks underplayed in trials so far.
Boston Scientific was ordered to pay a mesh-injured woman $100 million dollars in a Delaware trial concluded just last week.
Today's status conference before Judge Goodwin will be held in open court with individual manufacturers negotiating behind closed doors with Judge Goodwin.
Mesh makers with cases consolidated in this multidistrict litigation include Johnson and Johnson (Ethicon), Boston Scientific, C.R. Bard, Cook Medical, Covidien, Coloplast and Neomedic.
American Medical Systems has begun the settlement process with plaintiffs though some awards after legal fees range around $20,000. #
Learn More:
Tell Charleston media you care about the issue and watch their noon coverage. List of media outlets here.
One owner owns 7 radio stations in town:
Gazette-Mail (SUN) gazette@wvgazette.com
1001 Virginia Street East
Charleston, WV 25301
3043485100
Charleston Gazette (AM)
1001 Virginia Street East
Charleston, WV 25301
3043485140
Charleston Daily Mail (PM)
1001 Virginia Street East
Charleston, WV 25301
3043484830
WCHS-TV8 (ABC affiliate)
1301 Piedmont Rd.
Charleston, WV 25301
3043465358
info@wchstv.com, news@wchstv.com
WOWK-TV CH 13 (CBS affiliate)
13 Kanawha Blvd. W., Suite 300
Charleston, WV 25302
3043431313
WCAW-AM 680
OWNS SEVEN STATIONS IN TOWN!!
111 Virginia Street, East
Charleston, WV 25301
3043428131
WJYP-FM 100.9
P O Boxc 8600
South Charleston, WV 25303
304-744-5388
WSCW-AM 1410
P O Box 8600
South Charleston, WV 25303
304-744-5388
