Companies that manufacture medical devices are required by law to ensure the safety and proper function of their products. However, an investigation has shown that C.R. Bard, Inc.—a medical device manufacturer—may have known about risks that its Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter posed to patients without taking corrective action.

An IVC filter is a small spider-like medical device inserted into the largest vein in the body to prevent blood clots from making their way to the heart and lungs. At least 27 deaths and hundreds of injuries have now been associated with the use of the IVC filter made by C.R. Bard, Inc. A number of IVC filter lawsuits have led to an investigation into how the C.R. Bard, Inc. Recovery IVC filter made it’s way onto the market in spite of serious safety concerns.

NBC News reports that the company hired a consultant to help get the Recovery IVC filter approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after a failed initial attempt. The consultant explains she voiced concerns over the safety of the device and refused to sign the applications for the device to seek approval. Documents show the consultant’s signature on those documents, though.

At Ferrer Poirot Feller Daniel, we believe in protecting the health and safety of medical patients, and our defective medical device lawyers are hopeful the discovery of C.R. Bard’s potentially negligent handling of the Recovery filter’s approval process can result in action towards creating accountability among medical device manufacturers.