Duodenoscope Infection Lawsuit Reveals Olympus Told U.S. Executive No "Broad Warning" Was Needed

Duodenoscope Infection Lawsuit Filings Contend Olympus'Tainted Medical Scopes Transmit Potentially Deadly Superbug Infections To Patients

July 27, 2016 - A duodenoscope infection lawsuit has revealed that an Olympus U.S. executive was told no super-bug warning was necessary in the U.S. Internal emails have revealed Tokyo-based Olympus Corp. told a U.S. executive not to issue a "broad warning" to U.S. hospitals about contaminated duodenoscopes that were causing potentially fatal infections. The documents were included in a recently filed duodenoscope lawsuit in Pennsylvania, Kaiser Health News reported. Olympus Corp. is facing duodenoscope infection lawsuits in the United States that contend the medical scopes transmited bacteria that causes patients to suffer superbug infections that are nearly resistant to antibiotics.

In January 2013, Olympus contacted its European customers after two dozen infection outbreaks were reported in French and Dutch hospitals, according to the Kaiser Health News. A U.S. Olympus executive sent an email to Tokyo asking whether the U.S.-based company should be "communicating to our users the same information" that Olympus Europe was "communicating to their users." A chief executive in Tokyo responded in February 2013 that it was not necessary because the company assessed the risk to patients as "acceptable." Since 2013, at least 35 people died at U.S. hospitals after suffering infections from Olympus' tainted duodenoscopes, the Kaiser Health News reported.

"Patient deaths and infection outbreaks in the United States may have been prevented had Olympus alerted U.S. hospital officials about the contaminated medical scopes. WE ho " says Dr. François Blaudeau, founder of Southern Med Law.

Dr. Blaudeau and the attorneys at Southern Med Law are investigating duodenoscope infection lawsuits and have spoken to people from around the country who believe they suffered a duodenoscope infection. If you were diagnosed with a superbug infection following a medical procedure utilizing a medical scope call Southern Med Law to speak with one of the firm's attorneys regarding your legal rights at 205-515-6166 or visit www.southernmedlaw.com to fill out a contact form.

Duodenoscopes are small flexible scopes used in gastrointestinal procedures. Olympus Corp. controls 85 percent of the U.S. market for gastrointestinal scopes, according to the Kaiser Health News report. Since February 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued two warnings about the contaminated medical scopes. At that time, the FDA said the agency had received 75 reports involving possible bacteria transmission from duodenoscopes to 135 patients. The medical scope's design makes it hard to clean, disinfect and sterilize even when hospitals follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning the devices, the FDA said.

In January, Olympus Corp. recalled 4,000 duodenoscopes for repair and redesign after they were linked to Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a drug-resistant superbug bacteria infection. CRE outbreaks have occurred in 2014 and 2015 in hospitals in Florida, New York and Washington. A CRE outbreak also occurred at UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center where two patients died and 39 patients fell ill between October 2014 and January 2015.

Patients who have fallen ill due to the superbug infection, as well as family members of those who died, continue to filed duodenoscope infection lawsuits against Olympus. The lawsuit claims contend that the medical scopes can potentially harbor and spread the dangerous CRE infection to patients. The complaints further allege that Olympus Corp. manufactured, marketed and sold a defective product that contains bacteria even when users properly follow the manufacturer's cleaning, disinfection and sterilization instructions.


About Southern Med Law And Filing A Duodenoscope Lawsuit: Southern Med Law is an experienced law firm providing legal representation to the men and women across the country who have been victims of negligent personal injuries, medical malpractice, dangerous drugs, faulty medical devices and defective products. Led by Dr. François Blaudeau, an attorney and a practicing obstetrician/ gynecologist, the legal staff at Southern Med Law possesses a deep understanding of the complex medical and legal questions at issue in all manner of product liability and personal injury claims. They're not afraid to take on the nation's largest corporations in their pursuit of justice, and are committed to ensuring that all victims have access to the type of aggressive legal advocacy that assures success.

Contact:
Southern Med Law
François M. Blaudeau, MD JD FACHE FCLM Esquire
2224 1st Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Phone: 205-547-5525
Fax: 205-547-5526
francois@southernmedlaw.com
www.southernmedlaw.com

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