# Drug Companies Now Exempt From Lawsuits



## SifuPhil (Jul 8, 2013)

This is really too much - I'm getting ready to pack my bags and get out of this country.

Seems that a ruling has just been made that pharmaceutical manufacturers can no longer be sued or in any way be held accountable for errors in formulations or labeling of their medications. 

*Supreme Court Rules Drug Companies Exempt From Lawsuits*

Took a pain pill that made your skin fall off? Gee, sorry, but we're not responsible. A couple of mislabeled pills killed your family? Hey, not OUR problem!


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## JustBonee (Jul 8, 2013)




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## SeaBreeze (Jul 8, 2013)

Got a database error, and couldn't read the page. I know that prescription drugs and vaccines are poison and have side effects worse than the disease, but some poor folks have to depend on them for certain conditions. :xbone:  Funny how they find ways to protect each other's backs, big corporations in bed with the government, and we're the ones always getting screwed.   I'm glad sometimes that I'm as old as I am, and don't have any kids, because this country is spiraling downwards fast...I can't even believe some of the BS that goes on nowadays.   I guess they'll keep pushing that crap on TV commercials to poor unsuspecting victims.  What about the poor lawyers now, how are they gonna make THEIR bread and butter? <sarcasm>


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## Happyflowerlady (Jul 8, 2013)

It seems like half the advertisements on TV are trying to sell you some drug or other (usually with side effects much worse than the original condition ), and the rest of the ads are for the attorneys that want you to either get in on the lawsuit they have going, or come and talk to them about suing the drug company for what went wrong when you took their drug.
So now, it sounds like they can give you the drug, and if it does something terrible, then you can't sue them, no matter what. That does not seem right, for sure ! 
And most of the doctors nowadays , do not even try to cure anything , they just treat you for it by giving you pain medication, or some drug that is supposed to help the symptoms, but not help get rid of the underlying sickness.


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## SifuPhil (Jul 9, 2013)

I really don't understand how this could have been passed, unless the medical and pharmaceutical lobbies were so powerful (or offered such great bribes) that it was a done deal.

So now, in addition to cramming dangerous drugs down your throat simply to mask the symptoms for a while they can completely absolve themselves of any blame for errors and omissions.

Hippocratic oath, we knew ye ... 

I AM also wondering what those poor, underfed lawyers will do now - they're going to have to find a new niche.


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## JustBonee (Jul 9, 2013)

Happyflowerlady said:


> It seems like half the advertisements on TV are trying to sell you some drug or other (usually with side effects much worse than the original condition ), and the rest of the ads are for the attorneys that want you to either get in on the lawsuit they have going, or come and talk to them about suing the drug company for what went wrong when you took their drug.



Isn't that the truth.   And I especially like when they throw in "if you've had a fatal event"  please stop taking. ...
If you listen to most of those ads, you're just serving as an experiment for some _mad scientist_.


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## SifuPhil (Jul 9, 2013)

Boo's Mom said:


> Isn't that the truth.   And I especially like when they throw in "if you've had a fatal event"  please stop taking. ...



"If you have an erection that lasts for more than 4 hours, call ALL your girlfriends ..." 

Just a rough estimation based on random observations, but most drug commercials seem to consist of 30 second of benefits and 30 seconds of possible side effects.

I see that as being a 50/50 chance of being either hurt or helped. I can get better odds at the track.


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## SifuPhil (Jul 9, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> "The Internet doesn't lie",  just ask the girl in the State Farm commercial as the out-of-shape "French Model" she met on-line, comes sauntering up to her:rofl:



That commercial is hilarious! 

"_Bonjour!_" 

I don't deal with doctors so I haven't had the pleasure of seeing their all-knowing gaze, but I hope that someday, for your own sake as well as all the others that will follow you, you gently yet firmly place their stethoscope in a place where a proctoscope fears to tread. 

I'm going to miss seeing all those class-action suits on TV. 

... yeah, right.


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## Pappy (Jul 9, 2013)

When we first moved to Florida, the norm seemed to be, give him another pill for that. My gosh, for awhile I was taking 7 or 8 different pills for this or that. Maybe the doctors treat all older folks on Medicare this way, I don't know.

Anyhow, I stopped all but blood pressure pills and don' t feel one damn different since I quit. Prevacid, moloxicam, muscle relaxants, and a couple more i can't spell. All gone.....

Overkill, you bet, but seems to be the path most drs. Are taking.


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## That Guy (Jul 9, 2013)

This is beyond disgusting.  Seems all those hilarious commercial parodies mocking the disclaimers about horrendous side affects are no longer funny . . .


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## SifuPhil (Jul 9, 2013)

Pappy said:


> When we first moved to Florida, the norm seemed to be, give him another pill for that. My gosh, for awhile I was taking 7 or 8 different pills for this or that. Maybe the doctors treat all older folks on Medicare this way, I don't know.
> 
> Anyhow, I stopped all but blood pressure pills and don' t feel one damn different since I quit. Prevacid, moloxicam, muscle relaxants, and a couple more i can't spell. All gone.....
> 
> Overkill, you bet, but seems to be the path most drs. Are taking.



I know exactly what you mean, Pappy. My roommate has one of those pill trays with all the compartments and every time I see it filled up I'm reminded of a tray of Halloween candy that you offer to the kids. All different shapes and sizes and colors, and like that Halloween candy probably not very good for you.

She is on Medicaid as well with all the discount programs that they offer. I guess the thinking is that they would rather hook you on their pills at a discount than lose you as a customer by charging higher prices. Heck, the manufacturers themselves on their TV commercials often say "Contact Killem Labs if you cannot afford your medications - we may be able to help".

... yeah, and your friendly neighborhood pusher gives out free samples, too. 

My former mother-in-law had her beat, though - she took 36 pills a day. 



That Guy said:


> This is beyond disgusting.  Seems all those hilarious commercial parodies mocking the disclaimers about horrendous side affects are no longer funny . . .



Yeah, I hadn't considered that yet but you're probably right. Now you can't even get a few bucks for your next of kin when the side-effects kick in.


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## MercyL (Jul 9, 2013)

SeaBreeze said:


> Got a database error, and couldn't read the page. I know that prescription drugs and vaccines are poison and have side effects worse than the disease, but some poor folks have to depend on them for certain conditions. :xbone:  Funny how they find ways to protect each other's backs, big corporations in bed with the government, and we're the ones always getting screwed. *  I'm glad sometimes that I'm as old as I am, and don't have any kids, because this country is spiraling downwards fast.*..I can't even believe some of the BS that goes on nowadays.   I guess they'll keep pushing that crap on TV commercials to poor unsuspecting victims.  What about the poor lawyers now, how are they gonna make THEIR bread and butter? <sarcasm>




I agree. The hubby and I thought this country was played out with Bush's reelection. Unfortunately, it looks like we were right.

My mother was horrified when, after searching high and low, I found a doctor willing to sterilize me at 21. It was absolutely the best decision I have ever made.

When I made the decision to go sterile, my mother was horrified. She could not understand that, at the time, I was done having children after having my first born die, then having twins. While those were two of the reasons I gave her, the biggest reason was I wanted to deny the government having control over my body during another pregnancy. 

I am so very glad that my sons have decided to remain child free. My branch of the family tree can end with them because I don't want to provide this country another body to abuse, experiment on, or occupy a private prison.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jul 10, 2013)

I did read through the article, and it appears that it is not every drug company, or even every drug, and I can actually see the reasoning behind the decision, but that does not make me like it any better.

Here is the deal, for anyone who has not read the article yet; if a drug company (say Merck) manufactures a drug, they have to list any known side effects. Once the drug is able to be sold as generic, then the company manufacturing the generic must use the identical ingredients and process as Merck does, and must also list the same exact side effects.  
Okay, so far. 
But, suppose someone has an unusual side effect, not on Mercks list, then the company making the generic drug can not be sued, because they used the same formula as Merck, and put out all the same warnings as on the original. 

Whether Merck could be sued or not, is debatable, since they did not make the generic drug. If it could be proved that the generic drug was not identical to the original, then the generic manufacturer could probably be sued for selling the wrong thing.

One of the things that is the most worrisome to me, is that most of our generic drugs now come from China, so guess who actually benefits from this new ruling. 
I am I thinking it might be pretty hard to sue a Chinese company, in any case.


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## WhatInThe (Feb 3, 2015)

This isn't the first time big pharma got a get out of jail free card. In 1986 The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act basically gave control and penalty powers to the FDA under the premise that this area of medicine was too complex for juries. 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...cine-injured-kids-are-rarely-compensated.aspx

They did what they are currently doing now. Using "the children" as the basis or a prop to get what they want. By putting "children" in the title one would assume when passed "oh goody a law to protect our children" just like when they passed the "patriot" act. If you are against either you are against children and patriotism and not all the unfavorable fine print/actual content of the law.


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## AZ Jim (Feb 3, 2015)

I wish I knew how the Judges voted on this decision.


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## WhatInThe (Feb 3, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> I wish I knew how the Judges voted on this decision.



In the case from the original post you have to look up the case Bartlett vs Mutual Pharmaceutical Company.

In the case of the vaccine exemption you'd have to find the HR number and hope it's on online archives. Reagan signed off on it.


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## Debby (Feb 7, 2015)

Happyflowerlady said:


> .......
> 
> One of the things that is the most worrisome to me, is that most of our generic drugs now come from China, so guess who actually benefits from this new ruling.
> I am I thinking it might be pretty hard to sue a Chinese company, in any case.




That sounds like a stipulation that was attached to a trade agreement that our government was trying to sign with China regarding resource extraction in our northern regions.  It said that if the company(Chinese companies) caused environmental damage that would have seen the neighbouring communities or the province suing the company for cleanup/damages, they would have the right to sue us in return for harming their company!  There was enough of an uproar over that that for once our stupid government had to back down and the deal fell through.


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## Meanderer (Feb 7, 2015)

You realize this thread is from 2013.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 7, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> You realize this thread is from 2013.



That's because I posted it in 2013 ...


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## d0ug (Feb 8, 2015)

Nothing has gotten any better the drug companies are still getting away with murder. The drug/medical system gives millions/billions to get their way so they can get anything passed. Just look at the medicare system was passed without any one reading it.


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## WhatInThe (Feb 10, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> You realize this thread is from 2013.



And unfortunately it's still quite relevant.

Drug recalls surge in 2014

http://www.raps.org/Regulatory-Focu...alls-Surges-at-FDA-Led-by-Mid-Level-Concerns/

Here is a list of recalls from 2014

http://www.recallowl.com/RecallIndex/Drugs/2014

And this is what the drug companies had to admit to. Think about the stuff they are currently trying to get away with or have gotten away with.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 10, 2015)




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