Lawyers and advocates for women alleging Johnson & Johnson products injured them are urging the U.S. Justice Department to investigate their claims the health care giant deliberately destroyed many documents critical to the lawsuits.
Corporate Action Network, a nonprofit group seeking to hold businesses accountable for their actions, says it’s asked Attorney General Eric Holder to look into whether J&J and its CEO committed the crimes of obstructing justice and destroying records in a federal probe.
The group says a federal judge recently concluded J&J destroyed thousands of documents regarding development of J&J’s pelvic mesh implants, used to boost sagging internal organs. Some 22,000 women suing J&J blame implants for crippling pain, infections and bleeding.
J&J says it’s provided millions of documents in those lawsuits and hasn’t intentionally destroyed any.