Comments on: Could Lawsuits Threaten Vaccine Makers’ Livelihood? http://blog.pharmtech.com/2010/10/18/could-lawsuits-threaten-vaccine-makers%e2%80%99-livelihood/ The blog of Pharmaceutical Technology magazine Thu, 09 May 2013 23:30:55 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Darren McKinney http://blog.pharmtech.com/2010/10/18/could-lawsuits-threaten-vaccine-makers%e2%80%99-livelihood/comment-page-1/#comment-33011 Darren McKinney Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:24:46 +0000 http://blog.pharmtech.com/?p=3473#comment-33011 Sara Smithers essentially asks: "Why are [vaccine makers] protected by the government" from speculative lawsuits when other "manufacturers of consumer products" are not? The answer should be obvious. First, childhood vaccines hardly qualify as "consumer products." And second, if government doesn't protect vaccine makers from potentially bankrupting lawsuits, driven as they are by opportunistic personal injury lawyers who manipulate their emotionally distraught clients and well-intentioned juries, such lawsuits and the resulting verdicts could quickly convince vaccine makers to quit that product line altogether. If that were to happen, Ms. Smithers' and all Americans' worst fears about children's health might quickly be realized. Darren McKinney American Tort Reform Association Washington, D.C. Sara Smithers essentially asks: “Why are [vaccine makers] protected by the government” from speculative lawsuits when other “manufacturers of consumer products” are not?

The answer should be obvious. First, childhood vaccines hardly qualify as “consumer products.” And second, if government doesn’t protect vaccine makers from potentially bankrupting lawsuits, driven as they are by opportunistic personal injury lawyers who manipulate their emotionally distraught clients and well-intentioned juries, such lawsuits and the resulting verdicts could quickly convince vaccine makers to quit that product line altogether.

If that were to happen, Ms. Smithers’ and all Americans’ worst fears about children’s health might quickly be realized.

Darren McKinney
American Tort Reform Association
Washington, D.C.

]]> By: Sara Smithers http://blog.pharmtech.com/2010/10/18/could-lawsuits-threaten-vaccine-makers%e2%80%99-livelihood/comment-page-1/#comment-32976 Sara Smithers Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:31:35 +0000 http://blog.pharmtech.com/?p=3473#comment-32976 The right to sue a corporation for damages from a product should not be granted to all others except for drug companies? Why are they protected by the government when the Toyota corporation was not? Are not all manufacturers of consumer products legally liable for their very imperfect products especially those injected into children? If only one child is damaged, the drug company is responsible for compensating these families for the high costs of a life time of care. Why protect corporate profits at the risk of human health of children? Yes. Let's watch the SCOTUS overturn states rights to sue for damages. The right to sue a corporation for damages from a product should not be granted to all others except for drug companies? Why are they protected by the government when the Toyota corporation was not? Are not all manufacturers of consumer products legally liable for their very imperfect products especially those injected into children? If only one child is damaged, the drug company is responsible for compensating these families for the high costs of a life time of care. Why protect corporate profits at the risk of human health of children? Yes. Let’s watch the SCOTUS overturn states rights to sue for damages.

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