LIABILITY SHIELD GRANTED TO DRUG COMPANIES

NVIC condemns the disgraceful behavior of those in the Senate who used under-handed tactics in late December to ram unjust liability protection for drug companies through Congress. Many NVIC supporters took positive action in December after NVIC issued a call to action to try to defeat the massive lobbying effort by drug companies and pro-forced vaccination lobbyists to remove access to the judicial system when federal health initiatives result in vaccine injuries and deaths. It is clear that the only way they could defeat us was to lie and deliberately corrupt the legislative process. To more fully understand why they did what they did, read the letter NVIC sent to Senate staffer, Robert Kadlec, M.D. protesting the liability shield legislation for Big Pharma which President Bush has signed into law.

HONEST LEADERSHIP ACT

2/15/06  Jurist

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/02/vaccine-liability-law-
changes-proposed.php

Congressional Democrats on Wednesday introduced legislation that would roll back some of the limited liability provisions for vaccine and drug manufacturers in times of public health or bioterror emergency. A group of 21 US Senate and House Democrats led by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)  said in a letter describing the proposed Responsible Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2005 that current provisions were too broad and could be abused by manufacturers to avoid liability despite gross negligence or criminal action. They also said provisions defined health emergencies too broadly and left injured people with no compensation.

Limiting liability for vaccine and drug manufacturers has been strongly supported by President Bush and by Sen. Bill Frist. The current law was passed as part of HR 2863, a defense bill passed in December 2005. [Jurist 2-15-06]