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B. Braun Medical Inc.'s - Medical Device Manufacturing Plant PHOTO/FILE
B. Braun reaches agreement over cancer claims
Stacy Wescoe//February 19, 2025//
Bethlehem-based B. Braun said it has reached an agreement to resolve the majority of the ethylene oxide claims pending against the company.
The company noted that on Dec. 5 a jury ruled in favor of B. Braun’s US subsidiaries against plaintiff claims that the company’s ethylene oxide sterilization process was causing cancer.
The suit, brought by the law firm of Kline & Specter claimed:
“A cancer-causing gas emitted from the B. Braun plant in Hanover Township, Pa., is believed to have seriously sickened dozens of people — some fatally — who have lived, worked, and spent significant time near the plant.”
The lawsuit claimed that the plaintiffs had developed various forms of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, brain cancer, breast cancer, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and carcinomas of the head, neck and throat.
The jury found that B. Braun’s Allentown facility complied continuously with all regulatory requirements.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but in a statement the company did say that it is pleased with the outcome of the litigation. Braun said that the settlement is not the admission of any wrongdoing, and that it will continue to vigorously defend any remaining litigation.
“B. Braun is committed to safety, quality, and environmental responsibility. The company continues to comply with all applicable regulations and industry standards regarding ethylene oxide use and emissions,” the company said in a release.
On background on December 5th, a jury ruled in favor of B. Braun’s US subsidiaries and rejected all of the plaintiff’s claims. The jury’s decision was consistent with the scientific evidence that our ethylene oxide sterilization process is safe, and that B. Braun’s Allentown facility complied continuously with all regulatory requirements.
