Victims of Dangerous Drugs Go Online in Fight to End Unfair Michigan Immunity Law
Survivors tell of heartache and loss on YouTube; Call on Sen. Bishop, Kuipers to repeal law shielding drug companies from accountability
LANSING – Two women whose lives have been shattered by deadly drugs talk about their loss and heartache in video interviews posted on YouTube in a move to pressure the Michigan Senate to repeal Michigan’s unfair drug industry immunity law, Progress Michigan announced today.
Leslee Wiltjer, whose husband suffered a stroke after taking Celebrex and Leslie Richter, whose husband died after taking Vioxx for two years, tell their heartbreaking stories in interviews posted on www.progressmichigan.org.
“Leslie Richter and Leslee Wiltjer have stories to tell about how Michigan citizens are paying a terrible price while powerful drug companies get a free ride in our state,” Progress Michigan Executive Director Dan Farough said. “Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and Judiciary Chair Wayne Kuipers must act now, protect our consumers and put our citizens ahead of drug industry profits. Consumers in other states are holding drug giants like Merck accountable – but Michigan citizens are being treated like the guinea pigs of the drug industry. Michigan consumers deserve the same protections from dangerous drugs. If Sen. Bishop and his colleagues had a loved one who was harmed by Vioxx, Celebrex, Resulin or any other dangerous drug they wouldn’t be so indifferent to the suffering of Michigan citizens Like Mrs. Richter and Wiltjer. We need to repeal this shameful law now.”
Under Michigan’s 1996 law signed by then-Gov. John Engler, consumers cannot hold the drug industry accountable when it sells dangerous drugs like Celebrex or Vioxx, which have been linked to tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes, many of them fatal. A growing groundswell of public outrage has forced attention on Michigan’s drug immunity law. In the current House, representatives made it their first order of business in 2007 to repeal Michigan’s immunity law. The Senate has refused to follow the House. Its inaction protects big drug companies and puts Michigan citizens at risk.
“As long as Sen. Bishop and Kuipers stonewall, they are denying victims of dangerous drugs the right to hold drug companies accountable when their products harm or kill,” said Wiltjer. “We need Bishop and Kuipers to restore our basic American right to protect our families if they have been hurt. It’s wrong that drug companies are being put ahead of people.”
“What will it take for elected members of the Senate to stand up for what is right for the people of Michigan? The Senate needs to listen to the personal testimonies of the people who have been forever impacted by Michigan’s dangerous drug immunity law before they are so quick to dismiss the need to repeal this law,” said Linda Teeter, Executive Director, Michigan Citizen Action.
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