News tagged with 'Diana Levine'

Diana Levine is in the news again. The woman whose case against Wyeth delivered the death knell to federal preemption in drug product liability cases, today got part of her wish. The drug that took her right arm will now carry a more explicit warning against administering it via IV push.

President Barack Obama Wednesday called for sweeping changes to the Bush administration directive of federal pre-emption that shields companies from lawsuits over their dangerous and defective products.

President Obama will have an opportunity to shape future decisions from the highest court in the land.  Supreme Court Justice David Souter is retiring in June. Souter is one of the more liberal leaning justices and sided with the majority in the case of Diana Levine v. Wyeth and with the majority in the case of Riegel v. Medtronic, both tests of federal preemption.

Michiganders gathered in Lansing today to have their say about a proposed repeal of the state drugmaker immunity law, the only one in the country. This year they want it overturned and the Republican majority in the house to stop stonewalling, especially in light of a recent Supreme Court decision that negated the federal preemption argument.

Opposing forces, from citizens injured by drugs or their survivors, to lobbyists from the largest drug companies are expected in Lansing, Michigan Wednesday, as the state considers repealing its drugmaker immunity law - the only one in the nation put in place by former Gov. John Engler. 

Some Michiganders say they feel left out since the Diana Levine decision by the Supreme Court threw out the federal preemption argument of drug companies. Michigan law does not permit remedies in court from dangerous drugs, but a hearing this week could begin to change that. 

Michiganders did not rejoice over the Diana Levine decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last week. The court rejected the federal preemption argument of drugmaker, Wyeth and returned to citizens the right to sue in state court.  That is, unless you live in Michigan, which offers drugmakers immunity from lawsuits. 

The Medical Device Safety Act introduced into Congress, would allow consumers to hold manufacturers of defective medical devices accountable, even if the device has been approved by the FDA. 

One day after the Supreme Court decision, the cameras have left and Diana Levine realizes that even with a decision in her favor and a $6.7 million award for damages, she's still missing most of her right arm. 

Diana Levine herself speaks about the specifics of her case in a video filmed by the Alliance for Justice on the Injuryboard Web site. Alliance for Justice and Wyeth all weigh in today too following the U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Wyeth v. Levine. 

In a victory for consumer rights, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that consumers do have the right to sue a pharmaceutical company when it does not make a drug warning label clear enough to prevent injury.  The decision is a defeat for drugmaker, Wyeth and a victory for musician Diana Levine, who had won $7 million in a lower court ruling that Wyeth was challenging.

Pfizer will acquire Wyeth in a cash and stock deal of $68 billion that makes the world's largest drug company even larger.

Joan Petty took Vioxx for five years, twice a day.  After three heart attacks and two strokes she has enough energy to charge Merck & Co and its executives with criminal charges over Vioxx and has her day before the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday.

Joan Petty is going after pharmaceutical giant, Merck with a vengeance. The 73-year-old Ft. Pierce, Florida woman says Merck is criminal for manufacturing the medication Vioxx, and she's filed a RICO lawsuit. The U.S. Supreme Court has Petty's latest brief on the docket for Friday the 16th. 

A federal judge, dismissed several lawsuits on behalf of thousands of patients with Medtronic heart-defibrillator wires citing a February decision that federal law “preempts” product-liability lawsuits under state law, effectively precluding such cases.