Congress Gives Drug Industry Unprecedented Immunity

December 23, 2005

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 16:34:14 -0500 (EST)

" Public Citizen " <publiccitizen

Dear -

We thank you and the nearly 5,000 others who sent emails to members of

Congress opposing their proposal to give the drug industry blanket

immunity for injuries resulting from pandemic drugs and vaccines.

Unfortunately, Congress put corporate interests above the public

interest and passed this unsafe, unfair, and unnecessary legislation.

How could this happen? Only because Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist

attached the 45-page proposal to a must-pass 465-page Defense

appropriations bill, leaving members vulnerable to charges that they

were abandoning the troops if they refused to approve military

spending. Moreover, the Republican leadership insisted that the bill

was necessary to ensure we had the capacity to confront an avian flu

pandemic, covering up the fact that the immunity covers any disease

and any drug, so long as the Secretary of Health and Human Services

decides that the disease may turn into a pandemic, and the drug is

used to prevent, cure or treat it.

House members and senators chose the easy way out -- abandoning public

health by putting the drug companies above the law, and leaving

ordinary citizens with no where to turn for help. They even ignored

the warnings of nurses associations, state and municipal health

officials, and unions that first responders would be reluctant to take

or administer new, untested drugs if there were no possibility of

compensation for any injuries that result.

But all may not be lost. We plan to take action at the start of the

new year, and will need your help to convince members of Congress that

they made the wrong decision.

Until then, have a happy holiday season and thanks for all you to do

protect the public.

Stay informed and speak out when it counts. Sign up for the Public

Citizen Action Network or other online announcements.

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