Johnson & Johnson Private Limited on Friday announced a programme to address the needs of patients of faulty hip implants in India.
The “ASR India Patient Assistance Program” provides for the reimbursement of eligible tests and revision surgery up to 15 years from the date of primary surgery.
“Our ASR IPAP helpline is open... and we urge any patients who received an ASR Hip system to register at, +91 44 421 44842 or 0008000501443 between 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM from Monday to Friday or email us on asri@puricrawford.com,” Johnson & Johnson said in a statement.
The announcement comes after the Centre constituted an expert committee to determine the quantum of compensation as admissible under appropriate law and medical management for patients who received faulty ASR hip implants. As many as 4,700 patients received the ‘faulty hip implants’ in India with more than 3,600 of them being untraceable.
Previously an expert panel that examined complaints of “faulty” ASR hip implants, had in its report observed that the pharmaceuticals major had “suppressed” facts on the negative impact of the surgery conducted on patients in India using “faulty” hip replacement systems. That panel had also suggested that the firm pay compensation of about ₹20 lakh to the affected patients.
Speaking about the announcement by Johnson & Johnson Private Limited, Malini Asola, co-convenor of All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) and who has been leading the campaign for rights of the ASR patients said: ``For years J&J has denied legitimate claims of patients on the basis that an arbitrary time frame set by the company, of ten years, had lapsed by the time patients approached the company for reimbursement. The newly framed India-specific program has been framed under pressure, to modify an unjust and callous exclusionary rule.’’
She added that while this is positive, it should be kept in mind that the reimbursement program is very limited. ``For example, because patients were not informed of the faulty implants, they underwent numerous medical investigations, procedures and treatments at significant financial cost, prior to revision surgery. How will they be reimbursed for these costs?’’ she said.
``In other cases, patients have had to undergo medical procedures after the revision surgery as a consequence of health degeneration as an outcome of the initial defective device. The costs associated have been hefty but no one is even talking about providing reimbursement,’’ she added.
The company has, however, maintained that that it is reaching out to patients registered on the helpline and separately to surgeons / hospitals, requesting them to inform their ASR patients about this program and direct them to the helpline.
In its statement it has noted that patients who received an ASR Hip system between June 2004 and August 2010 (when the system was available in India) for up to 15 years from the date of primary surgery when they register on the helpline and complete the documentation process will benefit.
The ASR IPAP provides for the reimbursement of expenses for testing and revision surgeries related to the ASR Hip system recall within 15 years from the date of primary surgery.
For patients who require revision surgery, reasonable recall-related expenses will be covered for travel, hotel and food from the time of admission until discharge from the hospital for the patient and one attendant. Expenses for follow-up testing (as recommended by a surgeon) will be reimbursed if these tests are conducted in the year following revision surgery noted the statement issued by Johnson & Johnson Private Limited.
