News tagged with 'Federal Pre-emption'

In a surprising departure from federal election law, the Republican members of the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to strike down a ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Corporations have free speech rights too, says Justice Anthony Kennedy in writing the majority opinion.

The top five product-defect verdicts in 2009 rose to $620 million, an increase of 52 percent in total value. Jurors may be in the mood to give it back to corporate America.

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.

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.

The lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by actor, Dennis Quaid and his wife has settled for $750,000.  Their newborn twins received an overdose of the drug heparin and they bled out nearly dying. The twins have since recovered, but the Quaids have formed a foundation to inform the public about the "conspiracy of silence" of medical errors that kill 100,000 a year. 

Access Denied?: The Fight for Corporate Accountability - a new documentary about the real human faces of federal pre-emption, and how it takes a toll on those already sick and injured. Alliance for Justice is premiering the film to the nation, Tuesday, November 18th and providing viewers with an opportunity to have an on-line chat with the woman's who is the face of federal pre-emption, Diana Levine. 

When Diana Levine turned 63 recently, her daughter made her a birthday card drawing her as Diana the Huntress of Greek mythology, except without a right arm. The character pulls back a bow string ready to strike the Wyeth monster. In her case before the U.S. Supreme Court Monday, consumers should question whether they can believe a drug's label?

The Medical Device Safety Act of 2008 attempts to overturn the Riegel decision concerning the immunity of medical device makers who harm the public. Alliance for Justices' Simon Heller, who was at the U.S. Supreme Court today, says the Diana  Levine case may very well end up being addressed by Congress.  

The Diana Levine case went before the U.S. Supreme Court this morning and Simon Heller of the Alliance for Justice was there.... He talks to IB News.

Before the U.S. Supreme Court today- the issue of Diana Levine, which pits an injured consumer against drug giant, Wyeth. The outcome will set the stage for whether a federal standard can trump any state lawsuits. The outcome affects all consumers of products, drugs, and medical devices.  

Women should not lose the right to sue drug makers over dangerous drugs and devices, a New York nonprofit says, refering to an upcoming high-profile federal preemption case. Many unsafe drugs marketed to women concern reproduction, injuring and making infertile otherwise healthy women.

With the help of internal FDA emails, citizens can read how pre-emption language was inserted into FDA rules to benefit big business, despite objections, while headed by an industry lawyer who took the revolving door back into industry.  Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide on a case shaped by pre-emption, the outcome of which potentially affects the health and safety of all citizens for years to come.  

Three decades ago, as Diana Levine's career as a children's music producer and performer was just starting to take off, ultraconservatives and drug companies had their sights set on a different kind of breakthrough...

Key FDA career officials strongly objected to Bush Administration drug labeling regulations that would preempt state liability lawsuits, according to a new report by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Chantix, the smoking cessation drug, and heparin top the list of the drugs most likely to cause death and injury as compiled by this watchdog group.  They represent just a tip of the iceberg.