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House Democrats are asking Republicans for a hearing on Johnson & Johnson synthetic surgical transvaginal mesh used to treat pelvic organ prolapse, and the Allergan Lap-Band for weight reduction because of a growing number of patient injuries and a fear that device makers and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may not be protecting patients.
Here is the January 20 letter. So far the hearings have not been scheduled.
On January 23, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) issued a statement:
“The committee should hold hearings to examine whether FDA device regulation has been ineffective in protecting the public from dangerous medical devices like the Lap-Band and intravaginal mesh…“We need to understand the safety of devices on the market, the tactics device manufacturers and others use to market these devices, and the extent to which these tactics may increase risks.”
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-CA along with Democrats Waxman, Reps. John Dingell (D-Michigan) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) want the Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to revisit a similar request letter last October that asks for hearings on two other controversial medical devices, brain stents and metal-on-metal hip implants. That request was never honored.
The Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) is on record as saying “The medical device industry has brought hundreds of thousands of high-paying jobs to our country and life-saving, life-improving devices to our nation’s patients in a safe and efficient manner.”
Remind Rep. Stearns not to forget patient safety as well as the welfare of the medical device industry. Ask these lawmakers to schedule hearings requested by Rep. Waxman for the lap-band and surgical mesh medical devices.
House Energy & Commerce Committee Hearings on Mesh
Rep. Pitts Washington, D.C. office, (202) 225-2411
The Honorable Joseph R. Pitts
Chairman
Subcommittee on Health
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Cliff Stearns Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-5744
The Honorable Cliff Stearns
Chairman
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 2051
Rep. Fred Upton Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-3761
The Honorable Fred Upton -Chairman
Committee on Energy and Commerce
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
