Johnson & Johnson's massive recall of popular medicines, including a stealthy recall of some Motrin packages, has eroded the company's reputation and put pressure on chief executive Bill Weldon who appears preparing to testify to Congress tomorrow, it's an appropriate time to assess how the company's reputation is holding up in the wake of all those recalls--and the ongoing questions about how it conducted them.
J&J recalled 40 widely used nonprescription products for children and infants, such as Tylenol, in late April after Food and Drug Administration inspectors found filthy equipment and contaminated ingredients at a Pennsylvania factory.
The plant operated by J&J's McNeil unit is still closed, crimping sales, cutting the consumer standing of well-known J&J brands and marring Weldon's generally successful eight years at the helm.
How "is J&J going to rebuild a product loyalty and product identity when the products have been off the market for so long," asked Ira Loss, who follows FDA matters for Washington Analysis Corp.
It will be Weldon's first major appearance on the recalls. He did not appear at a congressional hearing in May; the company said he was recovering from back surgery.
J&J backed off of a company wide quality-control program several years ago; when Weldon announced his initial response to the current quality woes, he put some centralized oversight in place again. Is that new supervision of the supply chain and manufacturing enough? Expect Weldon to address that question--and many others--tomorrow.
