Chairman Towns Announces Johnson & Johnson Hearing
Announces second J&J hearing on circumstances surrounding pediatric, “phantom” recalls; invites Weldon, Goggins

WASHINGTON – Chairman Edolphus "Ed" Towns (D-NY) today announced that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a second hearing on Thursday, September 30, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. to examine the circumstances surrounding Johnson & Johnson’s recall of over 135 million bottles of infant and children’s medicines produced by Johnson & Johnson/McNeil Consumer Healthcare, including such widely used products as Children’s Tylenol, Infant’s Tylenol, Children’s Motrin, and Children’s Benadryl.  The hearing will also examine the circumstances surrounding the "phantom recall" of a particular Motrin product, which became public as a result of the Committee’s hearing on May 27, 2010.

In announcing the September 30^th hearing, Chairman Towns stated, "This is about the safety of trusted medication that our children and grandchildren use. The evidence we have uncovered since our first hearing is extremely troubling." Today, Chairman Towns also released internal Johnson & Johnson/McNeil communications and email communications from the subcontractors who carried out the phantom recall.

Witnesses invited to testify include:

Mr. William C. Weldon
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Johnson & Johnson

Ms. Colleen Goggins
Worldwide Chairman, Consumer Group
Johnson & Johnson

The hearing will be held on Thursday, Setpember 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in the Capitol Visitor’s Center Room HVC-210.  Doors open to credentialed members of the media at 9:00 a.m. and to the general public at 9:45 a.m.  The hearing will be webcast on the committee’s website: oversight.house.gov.

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Witness Invitation Letter to Mr. William C. Weldon

Witness Invitation Letter to Ms. Colleen Goggins

June 30, 2009 Email from a WIS International Executive to other WIS Employees (WIS executed the "phantom recall").

May 27, 2009 Email from McNeil President Peter Luther to other McNeil Executives regarding the "phantom recall."