Merck lawsuit verdict

[DownonthePharm]

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A few days old news, but anyone want to discuss? How do you think this will this effect the future of the pharmaceutical industry? 😱

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/19/news/fortune500/vioxx/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

[Oneday_9]

A few days old news, but anyone want to discuss? How do you think this will this effect the future of the pharmaceutical industry? 😱

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/19/news/fortune500/vioxx/index.htm?cnn=yes

Well, I think this case will hurt Merck obviously, but it will also scare the hell out of these companies and hopefully increase post-approval oversight. I hope the FDA can trulyfind a way to improve their own processes and regulate these newer medications more effectively (also, to be sure and be more discriminating when choosing meds for fast track approval).

Overall, this is merely another warning sign to these pharma companies that the American public is after you, doesn't trust you, and that these types of problems are a disservice to science and the people who have worked hard to improve health outcomes (symptoms seen in an anti-science political/religious climate).

Now I don't agree with the perceptions of the American public or the above statements wholeheartedly. In my opinion, it seems the FDA cannot take every drug off the market bc of a very minute population of patients who have these adverse effects or deaths. These companies are not the definition of villany, and have increased our life span and improved countless people's lives However, cost and these types of events only bolster anti-pharma sentiments. More so, the media is just propelling ludicrous arguments, the public needs to understand the concept of risk, and companies need to start publishing journal articles that are held to the same critique as academic research. This will hopefully discontinue current practices by pharma that are hurting the credibility of American academic research.

Things must change, either a new functioning body specific to post-approval patient safety or increase the FDA's budget so they can abide by their mission.

Just some of my opinions, thoughts...

 

[aphistis]

A few days old news, but anyone want to discuss? How do you think this will this effect the future of the pharmaceutical industry? 😱

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/19/news/fortune500/vioxx/index.htm?cnn=yes

I personally think that the mere existence of these lawsuits, taking place against the backdrop of the FDA's recent reapproval, is fundamentally appalling and an inexcusable insult to medical research as a profession.

 

[bananaface]

Apparently people are willing to accept that they will randomly be allergic to some antibiotics, but think that about everything else under the sun ought to be completely safe or not on the market.

 

[Ombudsman]

Doesn't this sort of thing discourage innovation and new drugs? I can just see someone coming up with a cure for cancer and then getting sued into oblivion because it may have contributed to the deaths of a few people or something.

You have to love lawyers. My parents have been getting bombarded by mail from them because my grandpa, who has been dead for roughly 4 years, may have been exposed to asbestos and it may have contributed to health problems. Or, it might not have. Or, he might not have had any health problems, but he still was exposed to asbestos. Either way, he should get some money, right? 🙄

 

[bananaface]

For many people, lawsuits are about emotional baggage and pointing the finger. My grandfather, who had terminal cancer anyway, died after his physician misplaced a decimal point on a drug order. My family chose to accept it and move on. There are some cases though, where lawsuits can be helpful by taking dangerous items off the market. If it weren't for the threat of lawsuits, many drugs with a clearly unjustified risk to benefit ratio would be on the market.

 

[J Lucas]

My grandfather, who had terminal cancer anyway, died after his physician misplaced a decimal point on a drug order.

How was this discovered?What do you mean you let it go? So now this ***** who failed 9th grade algebra is loose to harm someone elses family again with no record? 😡

 

[gablet]

How was this discovered?What do you mean you let it go? So now this ***** who failed 9th grade algebra is loose to harm someone elses family again with no record? 😡

Although I probably would not sue him/her for millions of dollars, I'd at least want it on his/her record.

 

[ultracet]

How was this discovered?What do you mean you let it go? So now this ***** who failed 9th grade algebra is loose to harm someone elses family again with no record? 😡

the patient is terminally ill....

yes it is a HORRIBLE mistake that i'm sure the md feels HORRIBLE for

but the patient was terminally ill...

i think banana offers a very good example.

 

[gablet]

the patient is terminally ill....

yes it is a HORRIBLE mistake that i'm sure the md feels HORRIBLE for

but the patient was terminally ill...

i think banana offers a very good example.

So you can be careless with a patient that is going to die anyways? With that mentality, why treat him at all?

He is not advocating sueing, just that the doctor's record shows the mistake. What if this doctor does it again?

This also may be an indicator that doctors are over-worked, trying to see as many patients as possible in a very short period of time. I've only had one doctor that didn't try to push me out the door in 10-15 mins. When you are over-worked, you are more likely to make a careless mistake. Either way, everything needs to be documented.

 

[DownonthePharm]

Accepting it doesnt mean its not on his record. But you can chose not to sue the doctor or hospital.

 

[bananaface]

Errors happen. That doesn't mean the person who made them is a throwaway or was careless. If you practice long enough, you will screw up. Not even the best practitioner has a realistic expectation of being 100% error free. Why do you think we double check things?

 

[aphistis]

How was this discovered?What do you mean you let it go? So now this ***** who failed 9th grade algebra is loose to harm someone elses family again with no record? 😡

Just something to consider...as an oncologist, that "***** who failed 9th grade algebra" was probably one of the more accomplished members of his class from high school through med school.

 

[KUMoose]

It's an unfortunate time in our lives when we must remove the burden of cases like these from the people of the US. They have, time and again, proved themselves to be too stupid or too ignorant to disregard their heartstrings and follow the spirit of the law.

In the grand scheme of things, it will have little impact to Merck. It will harm Merck's customers, because we'll all pay for whatever the insurance they carry doesn't cover, plus the cost of attorneys both in-house and outside counsel. However, in my initial glancing over the case files posted thus far, it doesn't really seem like they'll loose on appeal. It seems pretty clear they followed established guidelines and let the FDA know the increased rate of problems. The suck part is that the liability laws are so screwed up now, that any company selling a product that damages someone could get their a$$es handed to them in court.

 

[bananaface]

The more serious the condition, the more risks people seem to be willing to accept in their treatment options. It's the lifestyle choice drugs that really will make companies prone to lawsuits.