Malpractice Bill Shields Drugmakers (Vioxx, Celebrex)

[Liberty Belle]

This article, published last month, sure explains why Bush has pushed his malpractice "reform" bill onto the fast track! The bill, S.5, could come up for a vote as early as Monday. Call your Senator and urge a "NO" vote!


Malpractice Bill Shields Drugmakers

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 5, 2005; Page A03

The medical malpractice bill backed by President Bush would prevent consumers from seeking punitive damages from the makers of Vioxx and Celebrex, two popular pain medications recently linked to increased risks of heart attacks and strokes, according to legal experts on both sides of the issue.

While Bush often touts the medical malpractice proposals as a prudent way to stop frivolous lawsuits against doctors, the bill's less-discussed liability protections for pharmaceutical companies such as Merck & Co., the manufacturer of Vioxx, is generating controversy this week.

Former representative James C. Greenwood sponsored the bill.
The drug company provision has been in the Republican House bill, which Bush supports, for months, but after the Vioxx and Celebrex reports, the bill's opponents are making the provision a key argument against the Bush plan. Supporters privately say the legislation may have to be changed to win approval. ..


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48417-2005Jan4.html?referrer=emai

[DemDogs]

1. Gotta be filibustered

I know Edwards or Hollings would have. Hope there is still someone there to do it.

[Liberty Belle]

2. My Uncle took Vioxx. Now he's so weak he can hardly move.

Doctors can't help him. If anyone here knows someone who has gotten over the physical problems caused by taking Vioxx, I'd like to hear how.

Meanwhile, we must block this attempt to reward pharmaceutical companies who have killed thousands of people and left countless others devastated.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. Look this up... take it as far as you want....

glyconutrients


If the proper use of pharmaceutical drugs in a clinical setting has been attributed to the deaths of approximately 135,000 people a year... tell me again who the terrorists are. Tell me how much the government cares for its populace. Tell me where shrub's true alliances are. Tell me if the U.S. would invade Georgia if an oil reserve the size of Saudi Arabia's were found there tomorrow.

[Liberty Belle]

6. What's the connection between Glyconutrients & Vioxx?

I looked at a few stories in a google search but didn't see a connection.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Glyconutrients and what they may do for your uncle is one thing,

the issue of medications killing and maiming people is entirely another. Many many people who have been on 10 or more medications are now almost free of all them in many cases due to the regenerative and healing effects of glyconutrients. I strongly suggest you google for them, you can do searches such as glyconutrients lupus, or glyconutrients fibromyalgia, or glyconutrients gulf war syndrome.

I trust you will find your way. Be well.... 4mor

[Liberty Belle]

15. Thank you! I will suggest this to my Uncle.

I appreciate you giving him some hope, and I hope that this will work.

[moggie12]

3. That just figures they'd include that, too, doesn't it?

Article says they had that in there before the Vioxx mess -- and that now the Repubs are catching a lot of flack for it: Good!!!

Will send e-mails to my two Senators and my Rep even though all three are Dems and are therefore not morons and thieves (at least I think they aren't....... )

[welshTerrier2]

4. a government of, for and by the corporations

these caps on lawsuits are hideous ... bush loves to argue that lawsuits are driving up the cost of critically needed medications .. his support for the Medicare bill that prevented the U.S. government from negotiating a less expensive volume discount highlights his hypocrisy very clearly ...

and of course, it's not lawsuits that actually drive up the cost of drugs but rather the negligence by pharmaceutical companies in turning out dangerous products in the first place ... if they hadn't lost the lawsuit, there would be no additional cost ...

once again, it's a case of blaming the victim ... bush loves to talk about personal responsibility; apparently he doesn't feel the same way when it comes to corporate responsibility ...

restricting frivilous lawsuits is fine with me; restricting the rights of victims to recover whatever amount a court decides is outrageous when a pharmaceutical company was judged either negligent or is shown to have intentionally sold unsafe drugs ...

[snippy]

8. Bush's medical malpractice bill doesn't even mention frivolous lawsuits.

And it limits damages only in cases involving the most devastating injuries or the most egregious misconduct by the defendant.

[Skittles]

14. the GOP just makes up shit to feed to the people

to get them to vote against their own self-interest - they are very successful at it too

[cthrumatrix]

18. it takes the media to suuport their BS... where is the outrage over this?

[kypper]

9. I hear this in Biochemistry lectures...

The whole idea has nothing to do with finding the optimal solution, or the ultimate drug of health, but everything to do with making your product the first patentable solution that allows you to beat the competition.

Vioxx, etc was rushed out the door, and they know it. It's about time companies like Pfizer got sued for being sloppy.

[Eric J in MN]

10. Is there a bill number or name we should be opposing? nt

nt

[rodeodance]

11. 1 (800) 839 - 5276 - TOLL FREE to the Capitol Hill Switchboard

[rodeodance]

12. The bill, S.5, (per first post)

[Liberty Belle]

16. S.5 is the malpractice "reform" bill. It passed committee &

will be heard by the full Senate any day now. So call your Senators first.

Among other things, the bill would force class actions to be filed in federal court, not state courts. Fed courts are so backlogged this would effectively eliminate most suits.

[LiberalFighter]

13. I guess the FDA will be a thing of the past when that happens

[Liberty Belle]

17. The "regulators" are ineffective because the pharmas run them.

I have inside knowledge of a government-sponsored clinical trial going on now that's reportedly been rigged to show a controversial drug is more effective than a natural product supplement. Can't publish because my source wants confidentiality and my publisher is too chicken to run the truth. But CBS and others have run similar exposes lately, so word is getting on on this practice, if not the specifics of this case.