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Johnson & Johnson MedTech Faces Five-Year Injunction Over Antitrust Violations

By  |  August 28, 2025
Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson MedTech has been hit with a permanent injunction following a long-running legal battle over its treatment of reprocessed cardiac devices. The decision comes after a federal jury previously ordered the company to pay $442.2 million in damages for withholding clinical support to healthcare providers.

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    The ruling, issued on August 27, 2025, by Judge James V. Selna of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, prohibits the company from restricting clinical support for its cardiac mapping devices if they are purchased from reprocessing firms. According to the court order, Johnson & Johnson MedTech is also barred from introducing new technology that would intentionally prevent reprocessed devices from functioning.

    In addition, the injunction requires a Johnson & Johnson MedTech executive to file detailed reports with the court every six months outlining the company’s compliance. That executive must certify under penalty of perjury that the company is adhering to the terms of the injunction. The order will remain in effect for five years, though the court has left open the possibility of altering the duration based on market conditions.

    Read more: Judge Triples Antitrust Damages Against J&J MedTech

    Johnson & Johnson MedTech has consistently opposed the court’s findings. According to a statement made earlier this year, the company maintained that its practices were “pro-competitive” and aimed at safeguarding both patients and product performance. It also noted that it was reviewing the verdict and weighing potential appeals. When approached again after the injunction was finalized, the company had not yet provided an updated response.

    The case was originally brought forward by Innovative Health, an Arizona-based medical device reprocessor, which argued that Johnson & Johnson’s Biosense Webster division violated antitrust laws by refusing to provide free support to customers using reprocessed Carto 3 catheters. Per statement, the jury sided with Innovative Health, leading not only to the damages award but also to the injunction designed to curb repeat offenses.

    Industry response to the ruling has been mixed. While Johnson & Johnson MedTech continues to defend its position, the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors (AMDR) welcomed the court’s decision. The global trade group emphasized that hospitals and patients had borne the cost of what it called anticompetitive practices. According to AMDR’s statement, the verdict sends a clear message to major device manufacturers that the courts will take action against monopolistic behavior in the MedTech sector.

    Source: Cardiovascular Business