House panel invites J&J CEO to second recall hearing

By IBTimes Staff Reporter | June 22 2010 9:24 PM

A U.S. Congressional panel investigating Johnson & Johnson's widespread recall of consumer medicines wants the company's chief executive officer to testify at a second hearing.

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The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said on Tuesday it had sent a letter to J&J CEO William Weldon inviting him to testify on June 30, but later said the date of the hearing had not yet been determined.

The hearing will focus on J&J's recall of more than 135 million bottles of infant and children's medicines as well as on a controversial recall of J&J's Motrin that the committee's chairman has deemed a phantom recall.

The giant diversified healthcare company has come under harsh scrutiny since recalling 40 widely used nonprescription products for children and infants, including Tylenol, in April. U.S. inspectors found filthy equipment and contaminated ingredients at a Pennsylvania factory.

The house panel held a hearing on the matter late last month. However, Weldon did not testify as J&J said he was recovering from back surgery. Instead, Colleen Goggins, J&J's worldwide chairman of its consumer group, appeared before the panel.

A spokeswoman for the committee said no other witnesses had as yet been invited.

J&J spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf, additional reporting by Deena Beasley, editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Phil Berlowitz)