Drugwatch - A history of medical tech company C.R. Bard (27 April 2021)

Summary

Drugwatch is a US consumer advocacy organisation that works with certified medical and legal experts to educate the public on dangerous drugs and medical devices and to empower consumers to assert their legal rights. In this article, Terry Turner, writer for Drugwatch, examines the history of the medical tech company C.R. Bard, which specialises in vascular, urology, surgery and oncology devices. Bard manufactures thousands of medical devices and sells them worldwide.

The article looks at how the company was established and then examines several legal issues Bard has faced, including criminal charges stemming from medical fraud and accusations of selling defective devices that have killed patients or caused serious complications. The author looks at criminal charges concerning heart catheters to which Bard pleaded guilty. They also highlight problems with Bard's transvaginal and hernia mesh products and inferior vena cava (IVC) filters—devices designed to catch blood clots before they reach the lungs or the heart.