The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies has brought the world new ideas that have transformed the health and well-being of people across the globe. Here are some of the ways in which our products and ideas have changed people’s lives
Transformational Health Care Ideas
Transformational Health Care Ideas
Disposable Contact Lenses
Our ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses were the first disposable contact lenses that could be worn for up to a week, thrown away, and replaced with a fresh pair. They eliminated the need for cleaning, disinfecting solutions and storage. Later, 1-DAY ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses became the first daily disposable contact lens.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
We were an early pioneer in minimally invasive surgery, which uses very small incisions and helps patients recover faster than with traditional surgery. We extended this to diagnosis, with products like the MAMMOTOME® Breast Biopsy System from Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., a less invasive alternative to surgical biopsies for the diagnosis of early stage breast cancer.
Family Planning
We’ve been a leader in family planning products since 1931 with ORTHO-GYNOL®, the first prescription contraceptive jelly. It was the result of doctors asking our Company to help fill the need for contraceptive products in their practices.
Saving Babies’ Lives
RhoGAM® was the first product to treat hemolytic disease in newborn babies, a condition that once claimed the lives of 10,000 babies a year in the United States alone. Since 1968, RhoGAM® has become the standard treatment around the world for babies born to mothers with Rh-negative blood.
Life-Changing Treatment for Schizophrenia
HALDOL® (haloperidol) was discovered by our operating company Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. in 1960. Patients taking HALDOL® could be treated at home instead of in an institution. It became the gold standard for treating schizophrenia for more than 25 years.
Hip and Knee Replacements
Our operating company DePuy, Inc. made the first hip and knee replacement implants.
Unblocking Arteries Without Open Surgery
It’s likely that someone you know has a coronary stent to hold open a blocked artery in the heart. Our operating company Cordis Corporation developed the first-ever coronary stents, which keep vessels open so blood can flow to the heart. The next generation of stents is coated with a medication to help prevent the arteries from re-clogging.
A Breakthrough in Sun Protection
Sunscreens from our NEUTROGENA® and AVEENO® brands now use a patented advanced sun protection system that won’t break down in sunlight, lasts a long time and blocks the most harmful UVA rays that penetrate deeply into skin and cause damage such as signs of aging and skin cancer. It’s the first major advance in sun protection in 20 years.
Early Detection
The GeneSearch™ Breast Lymph Node (BLN) Assay is the first gene-based test that detects the spread of breast cancer into the lymph nodes. It measures molecular markers for breast cancer, so doctors can find and treat the disease at a much earlier stage. TIME Magazine named GeneSearch™ one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2007.
To find out more about some of these transformational ideas and many others, explore our history blog, Kilmer House, named for our first scientific director, Dr. Frederick Kilmer.
Kilmer House