Walker to Protect Drug and Medical Device Manufacturers from Lawsuits, making Taxpayers Pay the Medical Bills.

How can Republicans claim they’re protecting taxpayers when they shift medical mistakes to the taxpayer funded Medicaid program?

 

Of course that only happens after families go bankrupt, and shift the care to the state. Instead of editing the following press release, I’ve put nearly the whole thing here because Walker’s bill would do so much more to short change Wisconsinites. Oh, and ALEC makes another appearance.

Governor Scott Walker’s proposal to provide legal immunity for drug companies and medical device manufacturers whose products may injure Wisconsin citizens is a dangerous idea, a Wisconsin Association for Justice (WAJ) officer said today.

WAJ President Mike End said Walker’s bill will not benefit average citizens and certainly create no jobs.  The bill, LRB 2890, gives products that have received federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval immunity from legal action in certain cases.  “We have plenty of evidence that the FDA has approved products that injure people.  Have you ever heard of Vioxx?” End said.  “So what is the true purpose of this bill?”

Wisconsin does not have to provide immunity for injuries and deaths to drug and medical device manufacturers – and pass the costs of those injuries and deaths on to the taxpayers – in order to create jobs,” End explained.  “This bill appears to be modeled after legislation on the corporation-friendly American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) agenda,” End added.  “Our legislators now seem to be accepting horrible, cookie cutter bills from national lobbyists and trying to pass them off as solutions for Wisconsin.”

If the medical immunity bill is passed, Wisconsin will be one of only two states that bar consumers from their day in court for such injuries. Because consumers in other states would still be able to sue a Wisconsin manufacturer for injuries, this bill would only limit the rights of injured Wisconsin citizens.