Tylenol Makers Plead Guilty

Walk to your medicine cabinet and throw away all your over-the-counter drugs made by Johnson & Johnson.  Does that sound alarmist?  Perhaps it does, but Johnson & Johnson subsidiary (McNeil Consumer Healthcare) just pled guilty on March 10, 2015 to selling their millions of loyal consumers contaminated drugs.  From 2008 to 2010 Johnson & Johnson did mass recalls on over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, Rolaids, Benadryl, Sudafed, and others because of manufacturing practices that resulted in metal particles, moldy odors, and labeling problems.  In 2010 they had to do mass recalls of children’s over-the-counter medications, including Infants’ Tylenol and Children’s Motrin made in their plant in Pennsylvania.  Parents actually found black specks in the bottom of their liquid Infants’ Tylenol starting in 2009 and that was due to metals such as nickel and chromium. 

One might think Johnson & Johnson would learn from their huge recall fueled decline in sales, with 2009 and 2010 sales that were the worst since World War II.  Perhaps they will learn from the $25 million dollars that will be paid out to settle their federal case.  A McNeil Consumer Healthcare spokesperson did come out after the U.S. Department of Justice settlement and state that their company has “been implementing enhanced quality and oversight standards across its entire business.”  Let us hope so.  It is time that companies, like this one, start having respect for health and well-being of loyal consumers over their bottom line. 

If you or someone you know has had an issue related to any of the Johnson & Johnson (McNeil Consumer Healthcare) over-the-counter products, do not hesitate to contact the caring professionals at Inserra & Kelley, who emphasize this type of case.  We would be privileged to research your particular case and see whether compensation may be due to you.