Fw: Gift to Drug Companies is Unconstitutional

[Guest guest]

Happy New Year to all.

Please God this will be the year we get justice for our very special

children.

The only gift we are for is JUSTICE

Terry and ask for NO MORE PAIN

The drug companies ask for protection from our CHILDREN

Which is more IMPORTANT?

Isabella

http://www.drugnewswire.com/1489/

National Autism Association Says Senate Gift to Drug Companies Is

Unconstitutional

December 31, 2005 - 9:16 PM

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WASHINGTON — After procedural maneuverings last week to lessen concerns over

back-room deals that became unrelated additions to the Defense

appropriations bill, the Senate allowed the bill to pass, leaving intact a

provision granting immunity to drug companies from liability for injuries

caused by their products. Children's advocacy and consumer watchdog

organizations are calling this provision an affront to democracy and civil

rights.

The plan to grant sweeping liability protection to drug makers has been

years in the making, spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Previous attempts include the notorious 2002 "Eli Lilly rider" covertly

slipped into the Homeland Security Act under the cover of darkness.

"Such drastic changes to public health and our judicial system should have

been open for public debate, not slipped in surreptitiously to unrelated,

must-pass legislation. These behind-the-scenes tactics were necessary

because of the unconstitutional provision to rob injured citizens of their

rights," said Fournier, National Autism Association (NAA) president.

The implications of liability protection for drug companies to families of

vaccine-injured children and first responders who suffer future injuries are

gaining increasing public attention. After Congress established the National

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in 1986, manufacturers had less

incentive to ensure the safety of vaccines. In 1991, when warned that the

mercury used as a preservative in many childhood vaccines exceeded safety

guidelines, industry ignored the information, allowing an entire generation

of children to be overexposed to one of the most dangerous toxins known to

man.

According to NAA board chair Bono, "Families of vaccine-injured

children have witnessed the emotional, physical, and financial devastation

caused by the pharmaceutical industry's reckless disregard for safety

standards. Now, the misplaced priorities of Senate leadership have

sacrificed public health and basic civil rights to the greed of an industry

willing to overlook safety concerns for the sake of profit."

If enacted, such legislation will allow for no acceptable legal remedy for

those injured by vaccines, including first responders required to receive

vaccines when mandated by government.

In comments following last week's vote, Senator Frist referred to the

upcoming holiday season as "Fristmas." Ms. Bono observed, "Evidently,

Fristmas' means the pharmaceutical industry gets a four billion dollar gift

and complete liability protection for their products from our politicians.

No other industry has enjoyed the marriage between government and private

business to the extent of today's pharmaceutical companies. I am afraid for

American citizens who could be one shot away from a lifelong disability far

worse than the disease it was meant to prevent and be left with no legal

recourse for pursuing compensation for their injuries. We should all be very

concerned about the future of public health and civil rights now that the

rules have changed so drastically."

For more information, go to http://www.nationalautism.org/

Contacts:

Fournier (Portsmouth, RI) 401-632-7523

Lori McIlwain (Cary, NC) 919-468-6455

Rita Shreffler (Nixa, MO) 417-725-6107

Source: National Autism Association

CONTACT: Fournier, Portsmouth, RI, +1-401-632-7523, or Lori

McIlwain, Cary, NC, +1-919-468-6455, or Rita Shreffler, Nixa, MO,

+1-417-725-6107, all for National Autism Association

Web site: http://www.nationalautism.org/