JOHNSON & JOHNSON FIRES BACK

Johnson & Johnson has been put on the defensive after the release of research that called into question the safety of a medical device pioneered by J&J. On Sept. 3, a group of scientists at the World Congress of Cardiology in Barcelona presented research showing that stents -- the diminutive wire tubes used to prop open clogged arteries -- may pose more dangers to patients when they're covered with drugs, rather than made of bare metal. The researchers said drug-coated stents raise the risk of fatal blood clots and that the danger is greatest with J&J's product, Cypher. Patients implanted with the J&J device face a 38% higher risk of adverse events, the researchers said.

BusinessWeek online (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2006/tc20060907_058436.htm)