Wrong without a Right

$5 billion for other victims of deadly Vioxx, but not a dime for Michigan families

Michigan’s ‘get-out-of-jail-free drug immunity law leaves victims and taxpayers holding the bag.

[LANSING] Today’s announcement that drug maker Merck is preparing to settle tens of thousands of claims for compensation resulting from deaths and injuries caused by the recalled drug Vioxx shines a harsh spotlight on Michigan’s unique “drug industry immunity” law.

Michigan is the only state to give drug makers absolute get-out-of-jail-free immunity. In Michigan, victims of deadly prescription drugs like are completely without recourse.

At least 55,000 have been killed and injured by Vioxx according to Bush administration officials. Vioxx-maker Merck admits it made more than $2 billion dollars selling Vioxx in just one year, long after it knew Vioxx was killing us.

So as Merck prepares to settle a reported 27,000 cases claiming death and injury nationwide, Michigan victims who lost family members or were injured are locked out.

Michigan's drug industry immunity law has reduced us to second-class citizens, and promoted the drug industry to a position above the law.

So in Michigan, families devastated by this deadly drug will receive no justice and no compensation for their losses. And –since the wrongdoer is being let off the hook –it is Michigan taxpayers who will end up writing the checks for the millions of dollars in medical costs, lost wages, and other losses due to these tens of thousands of injuries and deaths.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Courageous lawmakers –both Republicans and Democrats—in the Michigan House passed a package of bills repealing our deadly and ridiculous drug industry law in the spring.

But the bills have languished in the Michigan Senate where leadership has stalled, delayed and refused to pass the bills on to the Governor.

It is long past time Michigan repealed its unique, deadly and tragic drug industry immunity law.