Victims, Citizens Groups Praise Gleason for Fighting to End Drug Company Immunity
12/12/07
Gleason tries to break Bishop, Senate stonewall and hold Vioxx accountable
LANSING – Progress Michigan and citizens groups praised Sen. John J. Gleason and Senate Democrats today for fighting to break the Senate stonewall and force action on repealing Michigan’s unfair drug industry immunity law – the only one in the nation – as a way to protect Michigan consumers from deadly drugs such as Resulin, Celebrex, Phen-fen and Vioxx.
“Sen. Gleason is standing up for Michigan victims and fighting to give them a voice at a time when drug companies and their friends in the Senate leadership are trying to silence them,” Progress Michigan Executive Director Dan Farough said. “Unlike Majority Leader Mike Bishop, Sen. Gleason is putting people ahead of drug industry profits. We need to end the stonewalling, repeal this law now and protect consumers, not the powerful drug industry and its massive profits.”
Today, Gleason used a parliamentary tactic in an attempt to force a Senate vote on legislation that would repeal a 1996 Michigan law that gives drug companies total immunity when they sell drugs that kill people. Michigan is the only state in the nation with such a law and the drug companies are the only industry that retains total immunity. Though the House voted to repeal drug industry immunity early in 2007 – its first order of business – Bishop and Senate Republicans have repeatedly refused to let the Senate follow the House in repealing Michigan’s drug immunity law.
Sen. Bishop led his caucus today in voting against action to repeal drug industry immunity.
“More stonewalling only puts more Michigan consumers at risk,” Farough said. “We must protect all Michigan consumers from all drugs at all times, and we can only do this by repealing Michigan’s outrageous drug immunity law. Citizens in 49 states have the right to fight to protect consumers from dangerous drugs – but Sen. Bishop and the Michigan Senate continue to let drug companies treat Michigan citizens like guinea pigs. Repealing Michigan’s unfair drug immunity law is about holding powerful drug companies accountable and protecting our families.”
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