Georgia Set to Limit Liability for Pharmaceutical Drug and Medical Device Companies
Georgia has introduced legislation aimed at protecting manufacturers of pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices from injury liability in a misplaced effort to attract these companies to the state. If it becomes a law, the bill may have dangerous implications for Georgia residents who could have their options for liability claims severely limited.
Senate Bill 101 was introduced last week by Senator Bill Cowsert (R- Athens). The bill, which has the approval of Governor Sonny Perdue, aims to amend existing liability codes. Promoters are hoping .jpg)
to pass it before Atlanta becomes the venue for the world's largest biotechnology conference in May. Earlier this year, Governor Perdue unveiled the legislation at a meeting of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, outlining his intention of making it harder for victims to pursue civil liability claims against pharmaceutical companies. Basically, the bill grants immunity to drug and medical device manufacturers from any medical injury lawsuits if the drug or device has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is no secret that the legislation is aimed at making the state's investment climate attractive to pharmaceutical companies who may consider setting up business there. As a spokesman for the governor confirms, the state wishes to pursue these companies aggressively to set up base in Georgia, and so, has dangled the civil liability immunity carrot in front of them.
Not surprisingly, civil justice proponents, patients' rights advocates and medical injury lawyers have been vocal in opposing any bill that grants immunity to pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers based purely on FDA approval of drugs or devices. As we have seen in recent years, many drugs and devices have been hastily pulled off the market after the dangers of using them came to light. All of these products had FDA approval. There are critics both within the FDA and outside the organization who claim its inspection standards and oversight procedures are far from adequate. In a scenario like this, passing legislation that relies purely on FDA approval to decide the validity of medical injury lawsuits is extremely harsh and unfair to patients. Beside, dangling the immunity carrot in front of pharmaceutical companies may actually prove counterproductive. The only other state that grants immunity to these companies is Michigan, which, contrary to being flooded with investment after the immunity law was passed, has actually found thousands of pharmaceutical jobs leaving the state.
Medical Injury Lawyers
Any time a state attempts to interfere with patients' rights to hold companies responsible for their injuries is a bad sign for civil justice in the country. Granting these companies immunity at the cost of patients' rights to protect themselves is a serious mistake, and one we hope Georgia won't make.
If you have been injured by the use of a defective pharmaceutical drug or medical device, contact a medical injury attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free evaluation of your claim.
