J&J Chief Will Apologize to Congress for Product Recalls, Company Response

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) CEO William Weldon on Thursday will apologize to Congress for a series of product recalls over the past year, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Weldon will also announce the world's biggest health-products company's plan to begin shipments of children's cold medication next week, despite a move last May to close a Pennsylvania factory that made most of its children's cold medicines.

Weldon will say J&J "let the public down" and erred by having a contractor buy up bottles of defective Motrin instead of formally recalling the medicine, the AP said, citing a copy of the testimony Weldon is scheduled to present before the House on Thursday.

J&J has issued nine recalls in the past year, according to the AP. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, among other things, is looking into the company's efforts to deploy a contractors' purchasing program for the defective Motrin, instead of issuing a recall. Company officials have said the Food & Drug Administration knew about the program, the wire service said.

Weldon will also testify that J&J tried a similar plan with the same contractor for defective Children's Tylenol, and informed the FDA about it, but later recalled the medication in September 2009.