Bard Cleared of Liability in First Hernia Mesh Test Trial

C.R. Bard Inc. and Davol Inc. won the first test trial in multidistrict litigation over their hernia mesh devices, as a federal jury rejected a Utah man’s claims challenging the product design and warnings.

The companies, now owned by Becton Dickinson and Co., still face about 14,000 actions in the multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, involving more than 20 hernia mesh products.

Steven Johns said Ventralight ST mesh products used in two hernia repair procedures caused abdominal adhesions that left him with chronic pain.

He alleged that the polypropylene used in ...