By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press / May 26, 2010

“McNeil is taking steps to bring its operation back to a level of quality that Johnson & Johnson demands of its companies, and that the public rightly expects of us,” reads the statement.

The announcement comes on the same day the FDA ratcheted up scrutiny of J&J, issuing the company a warning letter about lax procedures at a plant that makes sterilization tools.

Colleen Goggins, J&J’s president for consumer products, is scheduled to testify before a House committee on Thursday about a slew of manufacturing problems that triggered the recall of more than 40 medicines last month.

FDA inspectors prodded J&J to recall the children’s medications after discovering the company had not looked into dozens of consumer complaints about “black or dark specks” in Tylenol and other products. FDA’s deputy commissioner is also scheduled to testify Thursday.

J&J, which is based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, has long enjoyed a sterling corporate image, even ranking first place last year in a poll of company reputations.

That positive image is due in part to J&J’s handling of past product recalls.

The company’s response to a cyanide tampering scare in Chicago that killed seven people in 1982 is considered a textbook example of how to deal with a brand crisis.

J&J had its sales force remove 264,000 Tylenol bottles from Chicago area stores; consumers also were urged to return any Tylenol they had for a safe bottle, and prompt alerts from J&J and the FDA kept the public informed.